


Summer Is Coming

by casstayinmyass



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Adopted Jon, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Lifeguards, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Summertime, Arya is a little shit, Beach Holidays, Beach Sex, Beaches, Bisexual Margaery, Bisexual Robb, Bisexual Sansa, Boat Sex, Boys Kissing, Canon Disabled Character, Clothed Sex, Coming of Age, Creepy Petyr, Crossdressing Oberyn, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Frottage, Girls Kissing, Happy Ending, Hot Characters In Swimwear, Implied/Referenced Incest, Lesbian Sex, M/M, Oberyn Gives Zero Fucks About Your Gendered Shit, Pedo Baelish, Recreational Drug Use, Self-Discovery, Stark Family Cuteness, Summer Love, Summer Romance, Sunburn, Surfing, Underage Drinking, Vaginal Fingering, Varys Is Done With Everyone's Shit, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 08:58:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7928692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casstayinmyass/pseuds/casstayinmyass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's summertime at Westeros Beach, and all the families have gathered in their summer homes to enjoy the warm weather. From the Lannisters' nice yacht to the Stark's derelict little cabin and everyone in between, this summer is one to remember. </p><p>Robb shows the Lannisters they can't always be the best at everything. Jon joins the honourable Beach Watch to become a lifeguard. Sam Tarly finally understands what love feels like with the help of his new friends. Sansa learns more about herself in the most curious of places. Bran makes a friend. Petyr and Varys are back at their friendly shop owner rivalry. Arya goes on a scary island adventure with an interesting boy. Dany fends off horny teenagers. Jorah sets sail for his one true love. Ned and Cat discover their youth again. Jaime and Cersei fight to make their father proud. Tyrion is Tyrion. </p><p>Who will be crowned King of the Beach?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> It took me the summer to write this, and I finished just in time for September ^.^ yay!  
> So I changed a couple of things: in this fic, Joffrey is the brother of Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion. The ages go like this:  
> Joff, Sansa/Margaery & friends: 17  
> Jaime, Cersei, Robb, Talisa, Theon, & Oberyn: 19  
> Tywin, Jeor Mormont: Late fifties, early sixties  
> Ned, Cat, Mace, Balon, Varys, Petyr: Late forties, early fifties.  
> Jon, Sam & friends: 18  
> Arya: 12  
> Gendry, Meera, Jojen: 16  
> Dany: Mid twenties.  
> Jorah: Late twenties, early thirties. 
> 
> So there you have it! Please enjoy this cute, feelsy summer fic I've had so much fun creating :)) x

"I'm joining the Beach Watch."

The steady thrum of the family station wagon's engine was the only noise above the silence after this revelation. After a moment, Catelyn finally spoke up.

"Now, think about this carefully, Jon-"

"No," Ned interjected from the driver's seat, "No, I think it's an honourable ambition. Saving people from drowning, and all. If it weren't for those group of lads, old Westeros Beach would be in shambles! Son, I fully support your decision."

"Yeah, go be a nerd and wear weird black uniforms," thirteen year old Arya snickered.

"They're called wetsuits," the only adoptive middle brother smirked at his little sister, ruffling her hair. Jon couldn't bring himself to ever be annoyed with her, no matter how annoying she could get.  

"Whatever- still weird," the girl muttered, rolling her eyes.

"What's the Beach Watch again?" Bran, the youngest at nine years old of the Stark family, asked. Robb, the eldest brother was busy staring out the window with his headphones in, as Sansa, the eldest sister, was as well, and neither heard, so Arya spoke up.

"A group of-" she began, and Jon covered her mouth.

"A group of men-"

"Boys!" Arya laughed, getting free of her brother's muffling.

" _Young men_ ," Jon corrected pointedly, "Who watch over the beach and protect people."

"Lifeguards, basically," seventeen year old Sansa supplied with a scoff, taking out an ear bud.

Catelyn nodded from the passenger's side. "Yes, who have to take a silly oath to remain one for the entire summer and dedicate their days and nights to nothing but... watching waves!"

"If nothing else, it gives the boy something to do other than watch girls through binoculars," Ned muttered, turning the car into the familiar lot of the family cabin.

"Oh, you don't think they still do that?!" Catelyn scoffed, "Jon, don't you think you would rather spend your time with us? Your family?" 

Jon looked around at the car full of the rest of the Starks.

"Seven hells, no. Summer is here."


	2. Chapter 2

"I want the top bunk this time!" Arya cried, bounding into the room at the end of the hall that faced the rocks.

"We talked about this Arya," Sansa moaned, crossing her arms, "The top has _always_ been mine."

"But you're big now, and you're going to break it and fall on top of me while I'm sleeping, and then I'm going to choke and suffocate under your gargantuan weight. Because of you, they'll find my cold dead body in the morning with you sleeping soundly on top of all my broken ribs!"

"What a story," Robb grinned from the doorway, "Fancy, I'd quite like to see that."

"I won't let you take the top again!" the fiery little girl protested, "I challenge you to a duel for it! I'll win, you know it!"

"You're being stupid," Sansa muttered, opening her suitcase, "But you're right about one thing- I'm older now, so I'll be the better person and just let you have the top bunk."  

Arya huffed, climbing up the ladder, and Robb laughed. "You should have said no- she's been spoiling for a fight ever since we left."

"She’s always spoiling for a fight," the redheaded teenager said, eyeing her little sister wearily as Robb went off to claim his usual room with Bran. Once he was gone, Arya caught Sansa staring out the window.

"Waiting for Prince Ferret-Face to come across the beach and sweep you off your feet?" she asked, referring to Sansa's crush on the youngest Lannister brother, Joffrey.

"Grow up," Sansa muttered under her breath, but blushed a little, falling back onto her creaky mattress. "He's just so... dreamy."

"Oh, I'm the one who needs to grow up?" Arya snorted, making a gagging noise.

Over in the room facing the beach, Bran carefully unpacked his suitcase into the bottom drawer of the wooden dresser, tucking the corners in.

"What'dya do that for?" Robb asked, tossing his stuff up to the top bunk then flopping down on the lower. Bran turned his wheelchair slightly to face his older brother.

"Looks nicer that way."

"What does it matter? You're just gonna crumple them up in the laundry, anyway."

Bran shrugged. "Organizing things makes me happy. Then I can think about all sorts of things while I do it."

"Can't you think anytime you like?"

"Well, yes... but at least this way, I'm doing something productive while I do so."

Robb smiled, watching his little brother closely. "You're a good kid, Bran."

Bran scoffed. "What do you want?"

"What?"

"You're flattering me, what do you want?"

Robb sighed, and looked out the door, making sure no one was listening. "You remember Theon, don't you?"

"Of course. The Greyjoys have been coming here ever since we have."

"Yeah, well... he's got some... _stuff_ that I want to _partake_ in, and I need you to cover for me tonight and make sure mom and dad don't know I'm gone."

"You're nineteen, you can legally do whatever you want... Anyway, why can't you just wait until tomorrow?" Bran looked around, just as Robb had, and lowered his voice. "What are you gonna do? Dirty things with a girl? With a boy? Murder one of the Lannisters?"

"Don't I wish to all three- but I've got a girlfriend, and I don't fancy a trip to juvie this summer if I commit first degree murder."

"I could help you cover it up... I know so much about the law I could start my own practice."

"I'm sure you could," Robb chuckled, and rolled over on his back. "No, it's nothing you need to concern yourself with," he grinned, "For at least another few years." Bran rolled his eyes.

"Theon has weed, doesn't he?"

Robb hesitated, a smirk slowly coming on. "You're a smart one, you are."

"More flattery," Bran muttered, though not without smiling.

"Now don't go getting any ideas, you. It's not cool to smoke, and it won't make you popular, and I don't endorse it at all-" 

"You sound like mom," Bran laughed. "Robb, let me come with you! I won't bother you... I won't even speak, I swear. I'll just sit there! 'S all I can do, anyway."

"No, Theon wouldn't have it- he's flighty enough as it is. Matter of fact, _I_ wouldn't have it, Bran, we're sneaking off to the rocks! You can't get up there." Bran huffed.

"Fine. But you have to go into town and buy me a book to get me through this summer to make up for it."

"Sounds doable," Robb nodded, ruffling Bran's hair and helping him unpack.

* * *

 "It's not that I don't _want_ Jon to join," Cat sighed, stacking her folded shirts into their own wooden dresser built many years ago by Ned, (as everything else in the cabin had been, along with the cabin itself), "But when the storms come, Westeros Beach can be a frightening place. I just worry about the danger of it all."

"Danger?" Ned huffed with a grin, wrapping his big arms around his wife from behind, "Since when have we Starks run away from a little _danger_ , hm?" He mouthed a kiss up her neck, pecking her below the ear. Cat laughed a little, and swatted him off.

"You know what I mean." 

Ned smiled, shaking his head. "Jon's a sturdy boy- not easily knocked over by a wave or two- or he won't be, at least, when the summer's through with him. Trust me, love... he'll be fine."

Cat smiled a little, taking his hand.

"I trust you, Ned." 

"Mmm, you do, do you?" Ned teased, pulling her closer. Cat laughed, and the two toppled back onto the bed... with a sickening crack, as the pegs broke and it crashed to the floor. 

"Huh," Ned muttered as Catelyn squeaked underneath him, "That's what I forgot to fix last summer."

* * *

 Cersei Lannister stood by the large, golden bay window, eyes squinting through a pair of binoculars at the derelict cabin straight across from them on the other side of the beach. In front of their own ran a dock in the water, where a yacht was tied up along with expensive water sports equipment. All the Starks had in front of theirs was a tiny fishing boat- filled with holes, no doubt. A scowl developed across her face as she lowered the binoculars to the length of her tiny Guess shorts.

"They've arrived," she reported, and she could practically feel her twin brother's eye-roll behind her.

"Why do you insist on _watching_ them? Don't you have more important things to do, like plot against your long list of ex-lovers?" Jaime asked, flipping his golden hair back. He had on a creamy white polo and tan beach shorts.

"Forgive me if I don't find inspecting my flawless cheekbones in a vanity all day as entertaining as you do," his sister bit back with a quirked eyebrow, and Jaime snorted.

"Father, did you hear that?" he grinned, "The bitch thinks I have flawless cheekbones."

"What news," Tywin deadpanned, not looking up from his newspaper.

"Is that what we're calling her now?" Tyrion asked, sauntering in from the kitchen in a red shirt and beige cargos, "Very fitting."

"I will slit both your throats in your sleep if you're not careful," Cersei hissed at her two brothers, and the two were smart enough to know she would make good on that promise if they didn't desist. Suddenly, they all heard the youngest Lannister brother call from another room, "I thought I told you I wanted the bedspread _gold_ , not red!"

"Red is our decorating scheme," Tywin muttered, finally looking up as Joffrey came stomping out, "If one bed was gold and the other four maroon, this entire cottage would be in extremely poor taste. Do you understand that, Joffrey?" 

"It is in _poor taste_ that you should expect me to sleep in such _filth!_ " Joffrey snapped, clenching his jaw, "I demand my sheets be changed immediately!"

Tyrion and Jaime exchanged a look, and Cersei went over to her little brother.

"Come on… I’m sure there’s an upside to this.” Joffrey grumbled, crossing his arms.

“Yes… it’s the colour of blood, at least. Blood of my enemies that I’d love to spill.” Cersei blinked, and attempted to smile as she walked with her brother down the hall.

The three remaining in the main area of the large cottage stared after them, and Tyrion leaned against the wall with a wry smile.

"Ah... I love a good family summer, don't you?"

* * *

 "Robb!!"

The eldest Stark looked to the figure running toward him on the beach, nothing but a silhouette in the dark. Robb shook his head- they were trying to keep this meeting _quiet_ , but Theon wasn't the most discreet, let alone quick-thinking lad.

"Theon," he grinned, letting his lanky blonde friend slug him in a tackling hug. They hadn't seen each other since last summer, as Theon lived on an island with his family far away from the Northern town the Starks were from.

"Bet it's a relief to take off your boots and parkas long enough to enjoy the summer heat," Theon teased, and Robb scoffed.

"Bet it's a relief to set your webbed feet on solid ground after three seasons of water-logged Siberia."

Theon let out a laugh, and slapped Robb on the back. "You're a dick."

"You love me."

"Like a brother."

"Or so you tell yourself."

Theon shoved the grinning Robb hard. "You've got a girl here, remember?"

"I remember."

"Good! Talisa'll be dying to see you tomorrow." The two set off on their way to the rocks.

"That text you sent... you never explained how you got a bag of hash in the first place," Robb chuckled, "Or why. Guess that doesn't matter- how've you been, eh?" Theon shrugged.

"Life is shit. Family is shittier... or mine is to me, anyway. School is shit too- at least I never have to go back now… couldn’t stand facing that asshole Ramsay for another year. But, might as well have a little fun with the hand I’ve been dealt, before I die. Being the family disappointment is a big title to live up to, you know," he smiled, "Can't afford to lose it now."

They went up to the rocks, and watched the waves lap over the shore.

"We've been coming here since we were babies," Theon remarked, rolling a joint. Robb nodded, squinting through the breeze.

"We were both nine when we met. When I saved you from Yara's wrath."

"She stole my gameboy!"

"Gameboy," Robb laughed, shaking his head, "God, I feel old."

"Yeah, well, despite being a shit, Yara got what she wanted- she's working at her favorite store all summer back on the islands, saving up for the fancy college she's gonna go to, to become something fancy and strong and ambitious, and everything I'm fucking not." Robb put a hand on his shoulder.

"You ask me, you got the good end of the deal. You get to see me." Theon shook his head at his friend, Robb's winning smile infectious. Robb regarded his friend after a moment. "Y'know, we've changed a lot since then."

"Speak for yourself. I never grew up," Theon laughed, taking out a lighter and blazing the end of the joint. 

"Yeah, never got a girlfriend, either," Robb teased, and stole the joint from his friend to take the first hit.

"Speaking of which... you remember when you went on that blind date with Rosalyn Frey two summers ago?" Theon laughed.

"How could I forget?" Robb scowled. "Mom begged me to "give her a chance." Even if I had liked her, I couldn't spend a lifetime seeing her prickly old shit of a father every Christmas."

"Don't blame you. Haven't seen him around... good thing. I have seen the Lannisters are back, though... think they're still out to get you?" Theon asked.

"They love a good game," Robb grinned, "And this time, I'm up for one. At least they'll have my brother on the Beach Watch to save Jaime Lannister from drowning when I'm through with the prick." Theon laughed along with him, and stared over to the rich family's estate across the beach.  

* * *

 "Welcome... to the Beach Watch!" a man with the brightly laminated nametag of _"Jeor Mormont"_ called to the group of young men standing, barefoot, under the lifeguard tower. It was a blustery morning on the beach, only a few people setting up for the day this early. Mormont continued, standing with his chest puffed out and his hands behind his back. "An honorable service it is to serve Westeros Beach... for each and every one of you to do your duty, patrolling the waters. Every one of you is a hero... and will be sworn as such, once your proclaim your oath!"

"Oath?" someone behind Jon hissed, and Jon turned. Behind him were three snickering guys, about his age. Jon frowned at them.

"You'd better take this seriously," he whispered to them, "This is a serious job."

The one who had made the initial statement looked back at him, and scowled. "What the hell do you know about it?"  

"I know I joined voluntarily, and you obviously didn't," Jon replied, and the boy stared at Jon sheepishly.

"I'm Grenn," he muttered, and the other introduced themselves as Edd and Pyp.

"Good to meet you," Jon nodded, "I'm Jon." He hesitated. "Why are you here, then, if you don't want to be?"

"My parents made me join," Grenn mumbled, and Pyp nodded along with that. "So why did you join?" he asked, scratching his head. Jon shrugged.

"Because I wanted to. I always looked up to the lifeguards, ever since I started coming here with my family, and wanted to be a part of it as soon as I came of age."

"I've been a part of it for a couple of years," Edd muttered, "And let me tell you, it's not all that. Not much glory in dozing off every hour or so and maybe saving a couple of dumbfucks from drowning in an inch or two of water."

"But those people are still alive because of you," Jon insisted. Edd smirked a little.

"Aye... s’pose it beats being dragged along on the family picnic.” The other two murmured in agreement, and all of them turned back- to come face to face with a very unhappy Mormont. He looked even scarier up close... it was probably the beard.

"Am I boring you gentlemen?" he asked sternly, and the three behind Jon began stuttering.

"N-no sir!"

"Of course not, sir." 

"Not at all, sir."

Mormont raised an expectant eyebrow at Jon, but as intimidating as the man's beard was, no such grovelling came from him.

"We were just talking, sir," Jon said, lifting his chin a little, and Mormont's eyes narrowed.

"Just talking, eh?" He walked a little closer, staring Jon down. Despite a nervous fluttering in his stomach, Jon didn't avert his dark eyes from the older man's, and Mormont hummed in interest. "You remind me of my son..." Jon smiled a little. "...the ingrate, who brought disgrace to the family by flying off to work as a lifeguard at some _fancy_ resort in the desert!" Jon dropped his smile as Mormont continued. "Like Westeros wasn't good enough for him! Thirty years my family has been guarding this beach, since _Tywin_ _Lannister_ himself was a little ankle-biter running the shoreline." He leaned in close to Jon. "Don't do anything stupid, boy." After that, he walked back up to the tower, and Jon let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"I shouldn't have talked back to him like that," he muttered, running a hand through his black curls, and Grenn shrugged.

"Looks like he respected you for it."

"Yeah," Pyp added, "I've heard that once you earn his respect, he gives you free ice cream every day."

The other three turned to him incredulously. " _Why_ would he do that?" Edd asked, and Pyp looked down.

"I just heard it, okay?"

Mormont seemed to have finished his speech, so the group dispersed, hasty to be assigned to their first posts. As Jon, Grenn, Edd and Pyp turned around, they came to a scene: a larger guy and two other lifeguards getting physical with him.

"Gonna save someone from drowning, Miss Piggy?"

"What's drowning, Miss Piggy, your lunch?"

The two burst out laughing, and Jon stepped in between the three.

"What's going on?"

The shorter one of the two bullies stopped laughing, but the taller, more athletic-looking one stepped up to Jon, arms crossed in challenge with a smirk. He didn't have much muscle on him, but he had a deadly glint in his eye, one that told Jon he could win any fight, any day.

"What's it to you, eh?"

"Why're you picking on him?" Jon asked, clenching his jaw. The tall guy got close to his face, narrowing his eyes.

"Didn't answer my fucking question, stupid cunt." Jon's eyebrows raised at the gravity of the guy's insult, and the shorter guy smirked a little as well, gaining a little confidence in his friend's words.

"Yeah... coming to save your _girlfriend_ , mate?"

"Shut up!" the tall one snapped at his friend's chime, then got even closer to Jon. "Next time I catch you in our business, I'll rip your cock off and feed it to the sharks... whiny little bitch." This time, without a second thought, Jon brought a fist up, and slammed the guy across the face, sending him sprawling. When he looked up, the guy was surprised, no doubt; but even more angry.

"I'll fuck your corpse, you-!"

Suddenly, Pyp, Edd, and Grenn stepped in, keeping the two apart. "Okay- break it up before Mormont decides to step in again," Grenn shuddered, and the tall guy scowled.

Pyp looked around to all of them, offering a timid, "Why don't we, uh, introduce ourselves?"

The guy stared begrudgingly at Jon, but his anger faded as he finally muttered a, "Karl Tanner." The shorter guy introduced himself as Rast, and Jon told them his name with the rest of his new friends.

"A Stark?" Karl asked, licking the blood from his lip, "No wonder you're such an arrogant ass. You lot think you own the beach, do you?"

Jon smirked. "No. That would be the Lannisters."

Karl began to smile, then chuckled, shaking his head. "You ain't wrong there."

"I hate the Lannisters almost as much as I hate _piggies_ ," Rast said, directing his comment at the guy everybody had forgotten this was all about.

"Rast, shut your fucking hole," Karl grumbled at his friend, "The joke's old now." Rast shut his mouth, and stared dejectedly across the beach. Jon walked over to the last guy.

"What's your name?" Jon asked. The new recruit was dressed in a black T-shirt, and blue swim shorts, both seemingly a little too tight on him.

"S-Sam. Samwell Tarly," he nodded, shaking Jon's hand, "Pleased to meet you- my family's never been here before, so I guess you could say I'm the new guy."

"Jon Stark," Jon told him. Sam smiled back.

"I'm really excited about joining the Beach Watch, you know! It'll be great fun, I'm sure... so sorry I was late, my parents aren't very dependable people... not very _nice_ people at that, but that's a whole different story I'm sure you don't want to hear right now. Long story short, they told me to become a life guard and "get the hell out of their house" or they'd ship me off to military boot camp- that's why I'm here. Anyway- thank you."

"For what?"

"Helping me," Sam shrugged, "That's the first time anyone's ever stood up to someone for me. God knows I can't do it myself," he chuckled, kicking the sand.

"Well, then... learn how," Jon said, starting to walk with him.

"Tried, but I can't," Sam replied, "I'll try to stay out of trouble from now on, 'course." Jon stared at him a long time.

"Come on, Sam. Grenn, Edd, Pyp and I were just going to sign up for shifts, starting tomorrow- come with us."

"You mean it?" Sam asked.

"Of course I mean it. As long as these two aren't stationed near us, I'm sure we'll be fine," he joked, staring over at Karl and Rast, who had moved on to picking on a skinny kid who obviously hadn't hit puberty yet. Sam grinned, and nodded.

"Thanks... truly, thank you."

"Don't mention it. Come on then, before you drown yourself."

* * *

 Sansa sat on a rock, dragging her fingertips through the shallow seawater beside her. She remembered pretending she was a mermaid by these very rocks when she was a kid... back when Arya was too young to ridicule her for it. The teenager smiled at the memories. Suddenly, she heard the step of someone behind her, and turned to see the youngest Lannister brother.

"Joffrey!" she said, then blushed. "Ehm... we... haven't met... actually, I just... know your name."

The blonde boy smirked smugly. "Of course you do. And I know yours- Sansa Stark." He looked her over appreciatively. "The rumors do you no justice, really." Sansa's eyes lit up with interest.

"What rumors?"

Joffrey smiled. "Those that say you're radiant as the sun, with eyes as blue as the sea."

"Oh," Sansa breathed, "You could be a poet."

Joffrey chuckled haughtily. "So I've been told."

"Will you join me?" Sansa grinned, patting the rock beside her, and Joffrey nodded, taking another step... right onto a patch of wet seaweed. "Be caref-!" Sansa winced as Joffrey slipped on the rock and hit his elbow on another one.

"OW! OUCH! GAH!!" he screamed, and Sansa rushed to his side.

"Oh! Are you al-?"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME?!"

"I... I did," Sansa frowned, taking his arm. Joffrey jerked it away.

"That _hurt!_ "

"I... would imagine," Sansa said with some hesitation, wondering why he was making such a fuss about it. With a pout, Joffrey corrected himself, and sat down beside her, kicking a rock away petulantly.

"That didn't happen."

"Right, of course. Um... I have something to confess, and you can't tell anyone if I tell you," Sansa giggled, biting her lip. Joffrey inclined his head her way just a little as she went on. "I've harbored a bit of a crush on you."

"Of course you have," he muttered, "Who wouldn't?" Sansa frowned, and Joffrey shook his head. "I mean... I-I feel the same way, my beauty." He got up, taking her hand. "In light of this mutual confession... I invite you to join my family on our yacht this weekend." Sansa gasped.

"Really?!" She had always daydreamed of sailing around the bay in the Lannisters' lovely, expensive yacht. Her family didn't have any expensive things, so this was like a dream come true for her.

"Yes. Any guest of mine, is a guest of my family's- I'll make sure of it."

"You're sure your father won't mind?" she giggled, "I've heard he's got quite the grudge with my family."

"No. And if he does, I'll teach him a lesson," Joffrey murmured, in a voice that sent an unpleasant chill through her. Perhaps he was only joking...

* * *

 Arya packed more sand onto the side of her sandcastle. It was almost finished.... just to deepen the mote a little... maybe add a few dead bodies of fallen soldiers who attempted to cross it...

"What is that, a pile of cow shit?" a voice asked from behind, and Arya turned with a loud huff.

"No, it's not _cow shit_! What are you, blind?!"

"I'm sorry... I suppose I meant "sand" cow shit, didn't I?"

"Take it back," Arya growled, standing up. The other boy laughed in good nature.

"If I don't?"

"I'll stuff your mouth full of jellyfish!"

"There aren't any jellyfish around Westeros Beach," the boy grinned.

"Then I'll hold your face under the water until one comes along!" she retorted, and the guy raised his eyebrows.

"Whoa... I guess I know the boy I shouldn’t mess with."

Arya glared at him. “I’m a girl!”

“Jesus! Sorry, I had no idea.” Arya kept glaring for a while, until he eventually laughed. " _Sorry_."

 "Who are you? I haven't seen you around the beach before."

"You just haven't been looking properly," the boy remarked, sitting down beside her castle, "My name's Gendry. Gendry Baratheon."

"That's a weird name."

"Arya's a weird name, too."

"Arya means _noble_ and _great_!" the girl fumed, swiping her fist at Gendry's stomach, but Gendry, being the slightest bit taller, was able to hold her back.

"Alright, calm down- I was only teasing. Arya's a very pretty name!"

"Ew," she muttered, "I don't want a _pretty_ name."

Gendry narrowed his eyes. "You're interesting."

"So are you." There was silence until Arya spoke up again. "You don't have to leave... yet."

"Why, thank you, _m'lady_. I'll get to work on this mote for you, then."

* * *

 Bran looked around the beach, hoping to find a restful spot to read. There was the usual lineup of snack bars, made up of about five places to get food and drinks. Of course, the rival shops were still there- Littlefinger's Finger-Licking Treats and Varys' Worldly Oddities. Already they had their signs out, trying to draw each other's' customers away with witty messages... it really was hilarious to witness their feud. 

Bran squinted as he saw a new sign that had gone up at the very end... he had never seen it before. The letters were pink and blue, with a large, hand-painted ice-cream cone that swirled with white and brown. Bran raised an eyebrow, wheeling himself down the pathway toward it- it was definitely worth checking out; Westeros Beach hadn't had a newcomer for years. As he approached, he saw no one behind the counter, but there were two teenagers standing and waiting for their order. The guy had sandy hair, and the girl had wild, chocolate brown hair. Bran went up, waiting beside them for whoever was working behind the counter.

"Hi," the boy smiled at him, and Bran looked up.

"Hello."

"Nice day."

"It is," Bran nodded, "You sure picked a good day for your date."

The boy and girl looked at each other, then burst out laughing. "I'm his sister," the girl laughed, and Bran blushed.

"Oh. Sorry."

"No, it's... it's fine," the boy grinned, "I'm Jojen. This is Meera. We're locals around here."

"You live here all year round?"

"Yep," Meera nodded, "It gets boring off-season, but that's just how we like it. No tourists."

"Yes, tourists can be annoying," Bran agreed, "Even though, uh... I'm sort of one."

"You seem like a cool one, though," Jojen smirked, "Hopefully we'll see you around." Just then, a huge, hulking man brought out two popsicles, and smiled widely at them. They paid, and with a wave to Bran, went off back to the beach area. Bran looked back to the man.

"Hello. Can I get a banana split, please?"

"Hodor!" the man smiled with a nod, hurrying back to a counter. Bran frowned.  

"Pardon?"

"Hodor," the man called, popping his head back. Bran blinked.

"Hodor? What's a Hodor?"

"Hodor," the man said, pointing to his chest.

"Your name is Hodor?" Bran asked, and the guy nodded with that toothy grin. "Oh. Is that... all you say?"

"Hodor," the guy replied, and Bran sighed.

"Guess so." He waited quietly for his ice cream, and it was ready surprisingly quickly. "Thank you," he said, dropping the proper coins onto the counter, and Hodor nodded, putting them away. Bran glanced at him curiously... he decidedly liked him.

"I'm going to come back tomorrow... okay?"

"Hodor."

 _Well,_ Bran thought, _this is going to be a talkative summer_.


	3. Chapter 3

"Why were you talking to that Stark bitch?" Cersei sniffed as Joffrey walked in.

"How did you know I was-?"

"This is our sister we're talking about here," Jaime said boredly, flicking through his phone on the couch, "She _watches_."

"I'm making sure our family is safe," she snapped, "And why did you leave the cottage without sunscreen?"

"I have sunscreen on," Joffrey grumbled, swatting his doting sister away.

"Not enough," Cersei worried, inspecting his skin, "You're starting to burn."

"I am _not_!"

"Though your sister's questions are often trivial," Tywin began, "I am, in fact, interested in the answer to this one. Why exactly were you speaking with Sansa Stark?"

Joffrey frowned. "I invited her out boating with us this weekend."

The room fell silent, and even Jaime looked up. Just then, Tyrion came out of his room, hair mussed with two girls snaking their hands over his shoulders from behind.

"Did I miss anything?"

Tywin rubbed his forehead, and Jaime blinked. "How the hell did they get in here?"

"Don't ask, I don't want to know," Tywin muttered, blatantly turning away from Tyrion, and continued. "Alright, Joffrey. Why, may I ask, did you feel the need to invite a member of a family we are at odds with into our home and/or, yacht?"

"I think she would make a suitable girlfriend," Joffrey said, "She's pretty." Tyrion and Jaime both stifled laughter.

"As if anyone would willingly date you," Tyrion snorted, and Cersei glared their way, rubbing Joffrey's arm.

"My poor, naive brother. You don't even know the truth, do you?"

Tywin raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing as Cersei sighed. "Last summer, your little dove  _Sansa_ spread vile rumors about our family. She said that you were a creepy little freak with no friends, and that Jaime and I were..." she looked back at her brother, who stared right back, "Well. Anyway... she said some nasty things that are far from the truth. I just thought you should know, so you can deal with your pretty girlfriend... accordingly."

With that, the blonde extracted herself from the room, leaving a sputtering mad Joffrey and a silent household. Everyone but Joffrey was smart enough to know it was, in fact, Robb Stark who had said those things last summer, not Sansa- Sansa didn't have a cruel bone in her body, really- but no one said anything to correct this. Joffrey was a sadistic little shit, and they could count on him to end this budding relationship with some sort of warning to the Starks.

For example, last summer they received a dead possum.

* * *

 "Why did you have to bring _that_ up?" Jaime mumbled, snapping a quick picture of himself by the sunset for his modelling account on instagram. He snapped a few more, trying his Ray Bans on, and posted them. 

"I wanted to give Joffrey a reason to hate her," Cersei shrugged, tossing her legs over the side of a patio chair, "I can't have that little slut in the family."

"I agree... but you could have used something else. That... _that_ just blew over last summer! We don't need to bring it up again." Refreshing his feed, he saw that the sunglasses pic had already received 91 likes in ten seconds. 

"Why?" Cersei smirked, "Are you scared someone will find out?"

Jaime rolled his eyes over to her. "Nobody will find out."

"Good," she said, getting up, "So I can do this." Bringing her lips to Jaime's, she kissed him, startling Jaime into dropping his phone on the table. With a grunt, her brother cupped her cheeks, kissing back for a moment before jerking away, wiping his lips.  

"Cersei," he hissed, "We promised we were past that."

"Children experiment."

"But we're not children anymore. We're bloody _nineteen_ years old! We can't risk a bad reputation... what would dad say?"

"Since when do you care what dad says?" Cersei asked, trailing her hand down his shoulder. Jaime raised an eyebrow.

"You're confusing me with Tyrion."

"I'd never confuse you with anybody," Cersei hissed, "I _know_ you too well." She brushed one strap of her tank top down, and Jaime stared at her, biting his lip.

"Gods, you're irresistible."

"I thought I was a bitch," Cersei grinned.

"That too," Jaime smiled, and kissed her again.

* * *

 A seagull cawed from its place on a picnic bench, flapping its wings and taking off.

"It is a bit nippy," Sam commented, glancing out over the white-capped waves of Westeros Beach. Pyp hummed, and Grenn turned to Sam.

"Nippy? In the middle of the summer, at the beach?"

Sam's eyebrows knit as he looked over. "I have terrible blood circulation! I get cold easily, alright?"

"Bring a sweater," Edd suggested.

"I'd look like an idiot," Sam muttered, and everyone considered this, nodding and grunting in agreement.

"I suppose today's cooler than most," Jon offered, looking around at the people shivering in the water, "Summer hasn't quite had the chance to heat things up yet."

"Speaking of heating things up," Pyp whispered, eyes widening as he nudged Grenn and pointed. The four lifeguards turned their heads, to see-

"Daenerys Targaryen," Grenn swallowed, "She comes here every summer from Mereen, the hottest subtropical place in the world. It's a bloody wonder why her skin is so pale... with her hair as white as the moonlight-"

"Hair dye." 

Grenn glared at Edd incredulously. "You can be as realistic as you want, Mr. High and Mighty, but I know for a fact that that girl is some sort of goddess."

"You can go on thinking that," Edd snorted, "You and all the rest of the men on this beach."

 "Problem is," Pyp murmured, "Nobody's... erm... _experienced_ her before."

“Aye, she could be crap in the sack, for all we know.”

"She's a," Sam began, looking around and whispering, "a _virgin_?"

"Her religion forbids sex," Grenn said in wonder, "Or so people say."

"That makes her so much more desirable," Pyp sighed dreamily. Grenn gawked, watching her set up her umbrella.

"Gods, look at her... sits out in the sun for hours, but her skin stays as pale as the moon."

 From where the blonde had taken to setting up, four men had set up around her, and someone who was playing beach volleyball near her took a ball to the head as she bent over beside him. 

"Do you even _know_ how much semen is spilled on her account?" Grenn added, staring around at all the guys, "I bet you could fill this entire ocean with all of it." Edd scrunched up his nose, and knocked Grenn off his chair, causing him to land by Karl and Rast, who were also, evidently, discussing Daenerys.

"-love to get mine wet with that one's tight little mouth."

"Yeah, she'd never say no to me." 

"Rast, you look like a fucking ballsack. Of course she'd say no to you."

"Aren't you two supposed to be patrolling the west end of the beach today?!" Jon called down to them, and they looked up. Karl was dressed in long black shorts and nothing on top, displaying silver nipple peircings. He bowed down to Jon dramatically. 

"Lord Stark, King of the Beach, come to reprimand us oath breakers. Have I offended you in any way, my Lord?" he taunted, before giving him the finger and walking off. Rast quickly followed, not before shooting a dirty look Jon's way. Jon chuckled, watching them go.

"I see Karl's in as good a mood as ever," he smiled, and the rest of them tittered. Just then, Daenerys looked up their way and smiled. Grenn just about had heart failure, Pyp blushed furiously, Sam didn't notice because he was too busy watching a motorboat speed by, and even Edd was surprised by the acknowledgement.

"She was looking at me."

"No! She was totally looking at me, you could physically see her eyes shift _over_ to me."

"No, no, fellows, I'm afraid it was me."

"Who are we talking about again?" Sam asked, and Edd turned Sam's head to remind him. Grenn suddenly looked at Jon.

"Maybe she was looking at you! You're the dreamy one of us lot!"

Jon laughed. "Even if she was, Grenn, I'm off the menu, I'm afraid. Got a girl back home."

"Is she pretty?" Sam asked softly.

"Very," Jon smiled.

"Really? What's her name?"

"Ygritte. Gorgeous, body to die for."

"What colour hair?"

"Red."

"Ooh, I love red hair. And her, um..." Sam made a cupping motion around his chest, and Jon laughed.

"You don't want to know."

"What, that good?"

"Better."

Sam chuckled. "She sounds lovely... you'll have to tell me more sometime."

"That I can do, Sam. For now... I'd say our duty is to protect this Targaryen girl from the hands of thirty hormonal lifeguards."

* * *

 "Why so glum?” Gendry asked, approaching Arya, who was sitting on a rock.

“I’ve got nothing to do,” she mumbled, resting her chin on her fist, “I get bored easily.”

“I can tell.”

“Why are you here?”

“Still don’t like me?”

“I like you fine.”

“I feel the hostility raging between us.”

“Well, you did call my sandcastle a pile of shit… and me a boy.”

“In my defense, I call them like I see them.” Arya reached over and hit Gendry, who just laughed and put his hands up. “Okay, look- I said I'm sorry. I thought we made up when I helped you rebuild your castle… obviously not. I think you’re cool, and I have no friends… will you allow me the pleasure of your company?”

Arya narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re good at being… charming.”

“Am I?”

The Stark girl sighed, staring back out to sea. “Fine. You can stay... but _your presence_ don’t change the fact that I have nothing to do.”

“I can tell you a story.”

“I'm not interested in your stupid-"

“It’s a scary story.”

Arya inclined her head, and turned. “What’s it about?” Gendry sat down on a rock beside her, and pointed far out to the west.

“Do you see that island out there?” Arya squinted.

“No.”

“That’s because you can't see it from here. It’s called the Eyrie, and it’s concealed by mist. You can’t see the mist from here, because you have to hike for about twenty minutes west in the forest to get there.”

“And?”

“And… people talk. They say nobody has ever made it back from the Eyrie… except for two people.”

“Who?!”

“You know that guy who runs the snack shop?”

 “Petyr Baelish, the guy my dad’s age who has a crush on my sister?” Arya deadpanned, and Gendry frowned.

“Um... I hope not. Anyway, he’s been there and back, went when he was a teenager with two friends. One’s name was Lysa Arryn… the other,” Gendry grinned, “Catelyn Stark.” Arya’s eyes widened.

“What?! That can't be true, my mum never told me she went there! She never even told me about it!”

“She probably won’t talk about it because of the memories it brings back. That’s the reason Petyr Baelish says it’s dangerous, and he had a part in getting the bridge demolished so no one could go out there back in ’86.”

“Wait…” Arya said slowly, “You said Petyr and my mother came back… what happened to Lysa Arryn?”

“Well, some say Petyr pushed her in, because he liked your mother and Lysa was getting in the way… but most deny that entirely, and it's become something of a silly conspiracy theory. It could have been the footing- the water surrounding the island is deep and murky- it could have been the moss…" Gendry looked around. "Or it could have been the ghost.”

“The ghost?”

“They say it’s horrible. They say its skin is white and its eyes are as blue as ice. And the noise it makes… can rupture your eardrums in seconds.” Arya crossed her arms.

“Who said that? If two people came back, and refuse to talk about their experience, who could _possibly_ have said that?” Gendry shrugged.

“How do I know? I just heard the story... my family is very social, we hear lots of stuff.”

Arya stared out to the west, biting her lip. “Let’s go.”

“What? Where are we going?”

Arya whipped back around. “To the Eyrie, duh!” Gendry’s eyes widened.

“Arya! Arya, no!  No, I am _not_ subjecting myself to certain death.”

“Oh, don’t be such a girl. It’s an adventure!”

“It’s a suicide mission!”

“Scaredy cat.”

“Dammit … I shouldn’t have told you, what in bloody hell was I thinking?” 

“Quit whining, and follow me.” Watching the little girl trek bravely off toward the forest, Gendry sighed, and followed quickly.

* * *

 Jamie sauntered down the steps of his family’s cottage and onto the beach, pulling his sunglasses down his nose to stare out and survey the beach. Robb looked over, as did Theon, Robb's girlfriend Talisa, and Sansa, who were hanging out on a towel and listening to Robb's playlist. “Jaime!” the eldest Stark called, “How’ve you been?”

Jaime looked over, scoffing in boredom. “Better than you, most likely.”

“Nice day, yeah?!”

“It is.” Then the blonde smirked slyly, a thought coming to him as he walked over. “Up for a challenge, Stark?”

Talisa raised an eyebrow at Robb in that stern, protective warning, but as usual, Robb ignored this. “Always.”

“Good- Saturday, eleven AM, cliff diving contest. Best dive wins the title of King of the Beach.”

“You’re on.”

"Robb-" Talisa started, but Robb just squeezed her hand in reassurance.

Jaime held his smirk. “I look forward to watching you cry like a little bitch.”

“I look forward to doing so,” Robb laughed, and watched Jaime walk off smugly.

“Dick,” Theon muttered, and Sansa hummed, busy dreaming of her boat ride to come that night.

“What are you so happy about?” Robb asked, turning his attention to his sister.

“What, can’t I have a smile without everyone staging an investigation?”

“You just… haven’t been smiling often lately, so it surprised me,” Robb shrugged.

“If you must know... I’m going on a date.”

“Oh, how exciting! With whom?” Talisa asked with a kind smile. She was two years older than Sansa, as were the others, but it was almost unnoticeable. Sansa looked down.

“Joffrey.” Theon sprayed his beer, wiping his face.

“Excuse me? I thought I heard you say-"

“ _Yes_ , alright?! I like him. And he likes me! This is why I didn’t want to tell anyone. Nobody likes him, but I think he’s just misunderstood.”

“Misunderstood,” Robb laughed, “That’s one word for him.”

“Stop it,” Sansa snapped, “I’m going on this date and nobody’s going to stop me from being happy!”

“Nobody, except maybe Joffrey,” Theon added, and him and Robb snickered as Sansa glared. Talisa rubbed her back.

"I'm sure you'll have a good time. Just... don't be too trusting, alright? God knows if Robb is anything to go by, he'll be pawing at your panties by the end of the night." Sansa blushed, and Robb chuckled darkly, grabbing his girlfriend and rolling her over so that he had her pinned under him, capturing her lips mercilessly. Theon rolled his eyes, cracking open a new beer.

“What do you suppose they’re talking about?” Catelyn asked, watching the teenagers from her place a little further back with Ned under an umbrella.

“Teenage stuff,” her husband tried, shrugging without a glance up from his magazine.

"Oh, that's very helpful, darling."

"Alright," Ned said, looking up, "I think they're talking about orgies, the drug trade, and how to assassinate the prime minister." Catelyn blinked at Ned.

"You're absolutely clueless, you know that?" she smiled softly, placing her hand over his and aligning their wedding bands.

"Something I wish to remain when it comes to our adolescent children," Ned chuckled, and kissed his wife. Taking one last look out at how Robb had taken to making out with Talisa, who was still underneath him, Ned cocked his head a little. "Do you think I could get you into that position tonight?" he asked with a sly little smirk, and Catelyn huffed a laugh.

"Not until you fix that bloody bed, you can't."

* * *

 Sansa tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach as she approached the Lannister cabin. It really was beautiful compared to the Starks'... no mossy wood, no errant nails sticking out of the door. It was painted a pristine cream colour, and bay windows with curtains of rich gold and crimson inside. Sucking in a breath (and her stomach, even though she didn't need to in the flattering blue sundress), she rapped lightly on the door.

A few moments went by, and the door suddenly opened... to reveal nobody.

"H-hello?" Sansa asked, peering inside, and jumped when she heard a voice from below.

"Hello, indeed." She blushed.

"Oh... sorry. I didn't... um..."

"Yes, yes, let's avoid the awkward inevitable. I'm short, you didn't see me," the guy smiled.

"Right... um, you're... you're Tyrion, aren't you?"

"I am Tyrion Lannister, and you are Sansa Stark. Curious conversing with you here, isn't it? I must say, this is the most peaceful you'll ever find the place... Joffrey is out on the boat, thank the gods."

Sansa frowned. "Why do you say things like that about him? He's your brother."

"Unfortunately."

Sansa sighed. "Could you show me where your boat is, then?"

"Certainly- I was just on the way there myself."

"You're coming?"

"We all are, of course."

"Oh..." Sansa nodded slowly, "Alright."

"What, you thought Joffrey could drive a boat? The boy can't even make his own bed, let alone handle a beautiful yacht like this one." And it was beautiful... as the two approached the bay, Sansa's eyes widened.

"It's... huge!"

"So is our bar," Tyrion grinned, "And that's where you'll find me." He led her aboard.

"Sansa," Joffrey gave a smile as she approached, "You look absolutely stunning tonight." As soon as those words came out of his mouth, Sansa knew she was right to ignore all the comments of the others and trust him- he was dreamy, and perfect, and a complete prince charming. A smile blossomed on her face.

"And you look very nice as well." Joffrey nodded in thanks, and held out a hand for her to take.

"Let me show you the bow."

Tyrion watched the pair wearily as he joined Jaime, who was relaxing on a lounge chair with a margarita. "Are you sure we shouldn't do something? There's no telling what our maniac brother will do to the poor girl."

Jaime sighed, propping himself up on an elbow as he watched them walk off. "Our 'maniac' brother gets what he wants... and anything he wants to do to Sansa tonight, will happen one way or another. Intervening will just piss him off."

"You're probably right," Tyrion mumbled, biting his lip. "Keep watch for me though, still. I'll be too drunk to stand in an hour or so." Thankfully, Joffrey would get his regardless- Tyrion had a few tricks up his sleeve to ensure his brother's summer would be as short as he was.

"Ah, look at the lovebirds," Cersei called, flipping her blonde hair back as she surfaced.

"You have a _pool_ on your yacht?" Sansa asked incredulously, turning to gape.

"Of course we do," the Lannister girl smiled, sauntering out of the pool in her red Gucci bikini, "What kind of yacht would it be if we didn't?" Sansa couldn't help gawking at her- Cersei looked like a model with her perfect body and wet hair cascading down her back. Whenever Sansa herself got out of the water, she couldn't help feeling as if she looked like a drowned cat.

"It's an amazing boat, really," Sansa nodded, and Cersei smiled, drying off now.

"It is. Joffrey, show her the bow... she hasn't seen anything quite as beautiful." With a wicked smirk, Cersei turned away.

The two made it to the front of the boat, which was slowly slicing through the still bay water. "Lovely evening," Sansa commented, attempting small talk.

"Not as lovely as you," Joffrey smiled, rubbing his thumb over her hand. Wincing a little, he looked to the direction of the sun, and shielded himself. "It is incredibly hot so late in the day, is it not?" She gazed at him, and shrugged.

"No more than usual." He glared over at her, and her eyes widened.

"I mean... um... of course it is!" She tried to think of something to follow up with to make up for the awkward pause. "Do you have sunscreen on, at least?"

"I couldn't seem to find it- I looked everywhere," Joffrey murmured absently, rubbing his exposed arms, which were turning a little red. Sansa decided to distract him, and locked his pinky with hers.

"This is the best date I've ever had."

"Yes? Let me make it better, my sweet." He leaned in slowly.

_Here it was. This was it. Oh, it was really happening._

Joffrey smiled as his hand snaked down her back, and Sansa got lost in his eyes as-

"AHHH!" she screamed as he grabbed her dress, pushing her up and bending her over the side of the yacht. "J-Joffrey! What are you-?!"

"Tarnishing my family name was unwise, _Sansa_ ," he growled.

"What?!"

"Don't think I don't see through your innocent act!" He gripped her chin hard, "You see the front of the boat down there? How it's cutting through the water so precisely? In a matter of seconds, it'll be cutting through you like that." He leaned into her ear, grinning. "Who's the little freak now?" 

Sansa screamed again as Joffrey let go, shoving her overboard and plunging down into the ocean. The boat neared her, but it was hard to swim, because her sundress was pulling her down. She managed to get out of the way of the front of the yacht, but just as she tried to paddle out of the way, the bottom of her dress got caught in something.

It must be the motor.

Thrashing for her life, she was pulled under, unable to rip away from the motor that her dress had caught on. _What was he talking about? What had she done to him?_ Sansa barely had time to think as her oxygen quickly ran out.

Just as she began to see stars and lose sight, she felt a hand grab her arm firmly, and yank her so hard the skirt of her dress tore off. She let herself be pulled up to the surface, and gasped for air.

"Are you alright?" she heard a soothing voice coo, and her eyes blinked open. In front of her was a girl, about her age, with doe eyes and beautiful sandy-brown hair. She had a purple one-piece suit on, one that fit her form quite nicely, and she was currently staring at Sansa expectantly, graceful fingers still around her pale arm.

"What... did you see...?" Sansa asked, breath heaving.

"Shhh... calm down, sweet girl. I saw everything that happened." Wrapping her arms around Sansa to warm her up, she muttered, "I hear that the Lannisters are snakes, and now I can see why... that blonde boy, what a horror!"

"Joffrey, he... he tried to," Sansa breathed, unable to wrap her head around what had just happened.

"Shh... yes," the girl said, "He did. Like I said- a horror. Give me your hand, let's get out of the water before you lose all consciousness." Shakily, Sansa took her hand, and the girl helped her to the shore, where they sat down.

"Who are you?" Sansa asked.

"Margaery Tyrell," the girl laughed, and the sound made Sansa's stomach flutter.

"I'm Sansa Stark. You... you saved my life," Sansa said softly, looking down at her lap, "How can I ever thank you?"

"No need to," Margaery waved off, "It was lucky I had gone for a swim. Usually I'm not out in the water this late, unless it's at a party."

"A party?" Sansa asked timidly, "You go to a lot of those?" Margaery nodded.

"Almost every night. My brother and I love them."

"Who's your brother?"

"You've probably never heard of him... his name's Loras. See, we're new here- we heard it was a nice vacation spot for families, and we ended up here, of all places. Loras wanted to go to camp, and I wanted to go to Paris to visit my wonderfully unruly grandmother, but... here we are." Sansa was quiet, trying to avoid watching the water droplets fall from the curves of her saviour's suit. 

"Thank you again."

"Why don't you come to our party tonight?" Margaery asked suddenly, a mischievous smile playing at her lips, "We've always got the best parties, you'd have so much fun."

"Who's we?"

"My brother and I, of course."

Sansa swallowed, contemplating this. She imagined herself laughing, drinking, doing dangerous things with dangerous, beautiful people like Margaery. But she had never done anything like that before.

"I... I don't think I should," she murmured, but Margaery just kept smiling, squeezing her hand.

"No worries. Do you need some help home? I'd feel bad just leaving you here."

Sansa tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear, smiling. "I know this place better than any. I can get home."

Margaery nodded. "I'm sure I'll see you again, Sansa. In fact, I'd quite like to." Sansa let out a breath, watching as Margaery waved to her, sauntering off down the beach to party the night away, no doubt.

"Me too," the redheaded Stark whispered to herself. God, Arya would have beaten her over the head with a shoe for turning down that party invitation... but she wasn't Arya, and she was no party animal, by any means. She then regarded her clothes, and the tears came in full as she thought of what had just happened to her- she had to get home.

* * *

 "He pushed me in the water," Sansa sobbed, letting her mom stroke her hair away from her face, "He pushed me, and I almost drowned!"

"If I find that little shit, I'll-" Robb began, pacing back and forth angrily, but Catelyn cut in.

"You'll do nothing, Robb- Joffrey's gone home." Everyone was quiet for a second, shock settling in.

"Home? With who?" Sansa sniffled, wiping her eyes.

"They sent him home to stay with the Boltons, family friends of theirs. Ned talked to Tywin, on an unfortunate accidental encounter at the grocery store in town... something about a sunburn..."

"Oh, for fuck's sake."

"Robb!"

"Mum, the little twat tried to _kill_ my sister! He's fucked up in the head!" Sansa let out another choked sob, and Catelyn sighed, hugging her closer.

"Well, he didn't succeed. Trust me, nobody's more angry about this than I am... and don't get me _started_ on the state your father's in at the moment. I dislike those pompous asses as much as you, but there's nothing you can do to Joffrey now."

"You're right," Robb muttered, looking out the window, "Only beat his brother at the contest and show the Lannisters that a Stark can fight back."


	4. Chapter 4

"You little monster! You hid his sunscreen!" Cersei screamed at Tyrion, who simply put his hands up.

"I did nothing of the sort."

"Liar!!"

"I know you are, but what am I?"

Cersei was ready to strangle her brother, before Jaime stepped in, grabbing her away.

"Alright..." he sighed, "Tyrion, just tell us if you had anything to do with it, please."

"I might have... _used_ it, then neglected to return it to him for safekeeping," Tyrion shrugged, and Cersei balled her fists.

"It's all your fault! Now Joffrey suffers terrible burns-"

"Hardly life-threatening."

"And he is stuck with that family of sadists-!"

"Well, I wouldn't go that far, Roose is a man of many values."

"-all because you think it's funny to watch our brother burn to a crisp in the sun. You _know_ how sensitive Joffrey's skin is!"   

"As I said," Tyrion gritted out, "It was an accident." Cersei glared at him, eyes narrowing.

"You'll pay for this... one day this summer- you'll pay for this."

Then she went storming off. Jaime gave Tyrion a 'what the hell, man?' look, and Tyrion rolled his eyes in response.

"Don't tell me you're not glad he's gone."

"That's beside the point. She's hell bent on ruining your summer now- you _know_ not to cross Cersei, yet you did it anyway."

"Good thing I don't plan on spending any time with her," Tyrion grinned, "Essos, here I come."

"What?"

"Essos Club, out in town- I got a job as a bartender."

"What? Why?!"

"Do you even know how easy it is to get laid as a bartender?"

"How will you reach the bottles?"

"Very funny. They have stools, you burk." Jaime regarded his little brother in amusement.

"Have fun... and please, try not to get herpes." Tyrion winked, and strode off to get some things together.

* * *

 Bran watched the bald man, Varys, open his souvenir shop, at the same time as Petyr opened his snack shop. As he went by them, he heard Littlefinger call to him. 

"Brandon! I haven't seen you since last summer... how are you?" Varys scowled from the shop next door.

"Always trying to butter the customers up, aren't you?" he grumbled, but Littlefinger just ignored the bald man.

"How is your family?"

"They're very well, Mr. Baelish, thank y-"

"And what of your lovely sister, Sansa? Is she eighteen yet?" he asked, pattering his fingers on the counter.

"Subtlety is not your strong suit, my friend," Varys smirked from next door, and Petyr glared at him. Bran narrowed his eyes.

"She's, uh... she's seventeen. She'll be eighteen in February..."

Littlefinger deflated as he looked down at Bran. "Ah."

"Well... have a nice day," Bran said awkwardly, going off on his way to the ice cream place. That banana split had been delicious, and he craved another one. He didn't have anything better to do, anyway.

"Hi, Hodor," Bran said,  "I'd like to try another banana split." Hodor looked utterly overjoyed at seeing Bran again, and the man nodded happily, getting to work on the dish of ice cream. "Hodor... that's an interesting name," Bran mused, "My name's Brandon. Not nearly as cool."

"Hodor," Hodor replied with a shrug, and Bran smiled a little.

"My sisters have cool names. Arya and Sansa... unfortunately, the boys of the family got the short end of the stick when it comes to originality. My older brothers names are _Jon_ and _Robb_."

"Hodor," Hodor laughed, and Bran laughed too.

"Yeah... You know- you may be the first person who's really listened to me."

"Hodor," Hodor nodded, and Bran paid for the banana split, taking a mouthful and humming thoughtfully.

"I wonder how Jon's doing with the other lifeguards. Probably out saving people, day and night... my father says it's a noble job. I can't do it, of course... it's probably so exciting," he sighed, "You see, Hodor- Jon, the middle brother in our family, joined the Beach Watch. You know what that is, right? Those are the lifeguards down at the beach. Anyway, I haven't seen him in a while... I wonder who he's saving right now."

* * *

 

"Grenn... Grenn, are you sleeping?"

The redhead roused. "Hm? What? No! I was... closing my eyes, to avoid my eyeballs frying."

"That heat did come around with a vengeance," Sam chuckled, fanning himself with his hand, "Good thing I didn't bring that sweater."

"Dany's getting a _nice_ tan," Pyp murmured.

"It's creepy how you know that," Edd snapped, and Pyp shrugged, turning his gaze back to the Targaryen girl, sunbathing in a turquoise string bikini so tiny it barely covered her.

"I thought this job would be eventful," Jon commented, staring out at the people who were fairly well-behaved in the water with a yawn. Pyp turned his attention back to Daenerys.

"I want to talk to her."

"I suppose it couldn't hurt," Grenn said with a slight grin, "I mean, there's nothing else to do right now."

"...I'll come too," Edd added, despite a following eye-roll.

"Poor girl," Sam whispered to Jon, who nodded as the others abandoned their chairs in favour of the attractive sunbathing foreigner. "They need girlfriends... you've got one, Jon- tell me more about Ygritte!" Jon raised his eyebrows.

"You still want to hear about her?"

"Yes! Jon, I... I like women, but they don't really like me back." Sam smiled sadly, slipping his sunglasses on. "You seem like the type who has a marvelous relationship. I want to know what that's like."

Jon put a hand on Sam's shoulder, and put on his sunglasses as well. "Well... she can hold her own, let me tell you. She completely wears the pants in the relationship," he chuckled at fond memories, "Our... first time, was delightfully awkward. I think it brought us closer, how oblivious I was. She had to teach me how to..." Jon looked around, leaning in, "How to do it."

"Didn't know where to put it?" Sam grinned, nudging Jon amiably, and Jon huffed.

"Of course I knew where to put it! I just... didn't know where to touch... everything."

Sam laughed, and Jon glared at his friend. "What, like you know how?!"

"You've got me there," Sam smiled, and Jon shook his head in amusement. Meanwhile, down by Dany, Grenn cleared his throat, watching as the blonde uncovered her eyes and looked up at them with crystal blue eyes.

"H-hello," he muttered, giving a lopsided smile. She smiled back.

"Rytsas konīr," she replied, giving a little nod, and the lifeguards' smiles dropped as they realized she really _did_ speak a different language- a language none of them had ever heard before.

"Houston... we have a problem," Edd grimaced.

* * *

 "You would think they'd take the hint from the language barrier," Sam snorted, watching their friends make their... what was it now... tenth attempt, at trying to speak to Daenerys?

"For what it's worth, she's being a wonderful sport about it," Jon commented, frowning as Grenn attempted to mime some sort of strange dance.   

"Women shouldn't be sport, if you ask me," Sam muttered, "Look at all of them, performing their mating rituals... it's embarrassing to watch."

"It's not like she's going to care, Sam," Jon chuckled, "She'll probably break their arms off before they get anywhere with her."

"That delicate creature?" Sam laughed. "I can't believe it."

"You'd be surprised... you haven't been with a woman. If Ygritte is anyone to go on, I give them three days survival, keeping on like this."

Sam hummed. "I wonder what she's telling them."

Down by the towels, Dany smiled up at the lifeguards. "Ao gīmigon, eman iā valzȳrys arlī lenton bona'd sagon olvie displeased lēda ao," _[You know, I have a husband back home that would be very displeased with your flirtations.]_ she told them politely, then looked them up and down, "Sesīr tolī sīr than nyke." _[Even more so than I.]_

 Pyp nudged Edd. "I think she's asking you out."

"Ah, the Beach Watch," Sam sighed, "What an honorable service we've joined." The guys climbed back up to their seats after Daenerys removed herself from the conversation, and the group went back to watching the waters... until Sam froze. His eyes widened, his jaw dropped, and he seemed to have forgotten how to speak.

"Sam?" Jon asked, noticing something was out of sorts. "Sam?!"

"Christ, he's not having a heart attack, is he?" Grenn asked worriedly, shaking Sam.

"Does it look like he's having a heart attack?!" Edd snapped.

"How should you know what a bloody heart attack looks like, you're a lifeguard!"

"I know more than you, your parents are farmers, and you ain't a doctor!"

"Shut up, the both of you," Jon interjected, as Sam began to attempt speech. "What is it? Tell us, Sam."

"Speak up, Tarly!"

"Hey, what is it?!"

Sam's arm went up, and he pointed out to the beach... where a girl with mousy brown hair and a petite build was walking the beach with clampers, picking up garbage and sticking it in a big bag. Sam stuttered a little bit, then exhaled, as if he was in a dream world. "She's... she's absolutely beautiful."

Jon, Grenn, Edd, and Pyp all looked at Sam. "Sam," Edd said calmly, looking around, "Do you have any idea who that is?"

"Everyone knows," Grenn cut in, "She's the bloody daughter of that old goat, Craster!"

"Craster, who?" Sam asked, still a little bit spaced out.

"Craster, the garbage man," Jon informed him, "Everyone knows being a trash collector in a resort town is shit-"

"Pun intended!" Pyp added with a snort.

"-And Craster's the worst of the worst. He's a grumpy old man."

"You should meet my father," Sam huffed, "Nobody could be worse than he is."

"I dare you to test that theory," Grenn muttered, "Not even the Lannisters will deal with Craster."

"And the worst part?" Edd murmured quietly, "Is, if anyone so much as stares at his daughters, Craster hunts down the man that did, and..." he made a throat cutting motion, and Sam's eyes widened a little more as Grenn took over.

"First, right after he finds you, he runs you over with his truck. Then, he tosses the broken body into the trash compactor of that same truck, and..."

"You're never seen again," Pyp finished.

"You three and your legends," Sam smiled nervously, "You're just trying to scare me!"

"It's no legend," Grenn said, dropping his voice a couple of octaves menacingly, "Not when you're about to be crushed by Craster's garbage truck of death!"

"Shut your mouths, the lot of you," Jon said, rolling his eyes, and the three snickered.

"You're so gullible," Grenn laughed.

"Trustworthy, I prefer to call it," Sam corrected defensively, then directed his gaze back to the girl. "What's her name?"

"Gilly," Jon supplied, "I think."

"Gilly..." Sam repeated, "I like that name... Gilly... mmm..."

"Aw, shit," Edd muttered, "Save the name-calling for the bedroom, will you? I don't need to hear the bloody thing over and over all day."

"You're just bitter because I've actually got a chance with a girl," Sam retorted, and Edd made a face.

"You've never even spoken to her! What, instead of saying "hello," are you going to propose?"

"I'd like to," Sam admitted, and Jon smiled a little.

"I'm proud of you, Sam. Now you'll know what it's like."

"What what's like?"

"Being whipped," Jon joked, and the group laughed together. Just then, they heard Karl's unmistakable drawl down by Dany, and turned to listen in.

"You've got pretty hair, don't you?" the delinquent smirked, wrapping a strand around his finger, "Now what is a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone, eh? Left mum and daddy to come out here and visit Westeros?" Trailing a hand down her face, to her neck, Karl grazed her chest, way too close to the top of her cleavage. "You'll be callin' me daddy by the end of tonight..." With a loud smack and a howl of pain, the group watched Karl fall, writhing in the sand beside the blonde.

"Speaking of whipped," Edd huffed, and Karl stumbled up, moaning- not in the way he had hoped.

"What's going on here?!" they heard, and saw Mormont marching over. Backs straight and eyes wide open, the lifeguards made sure to present themselves nicely.

"Nothing, sir!"

"Nothing at all, sir."

"We were just doing our duty, sir."

"Hmmm, I'm sure you were," Mormont commented, eyes narrowed, "Tanner? You've earned the privilege of my constant supervision for the rest of the day. I suggest you return to your post."

Jon and Grenn had the nerve to laugh a little, but quickly shut up after the withering glare Mormont shot them as he turned.

"And you lot- don't do anything stupid!"

* * *

 "We're lucky the sun went down when it did yesterday. Going there after dark is beyond dangerous!" Gendry warned. Arya stepped carefully over the jagged rocks, making a face at him.

"The sun goes down at the same time every day, Gen. Setting out bright and early was our best idea yet!"

" _Our_ idea?"

"Yes, our idea. We're in this together."

"Oh, so if you die, I die, right?"

"Stop being such a drama queen!" Arya huffed, "Haven't you been thirsting for a journey like this your entire life?!"

Gendry thought for a moment, then decidedly shook his head. "No. No, I haven't. In fact, I'd be perfectly happy inviting you over to play X Box instead of going all this way, through all this trouble, just to find a creepy island!"

"Your family has an X Box in their cabin?!" Arya gaped, "We don't even have one at _home_!"

"Well... my family's pretty rich," Gendry shrugged meekly.

"Like... Lannister rich?"

"No! Do you think I'd be talking to a little shit like you if I was that bloody rich?"

"Yes," Arya retorted with a small, teasing smile.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Gendry sighed, and picked up a walking stick, following behind her. As noon rolled around, he began to feel a little bit peckish, so he checked the flaps of the backpack he had been given. Arya had packed snacks, water, and-

"What the fuck is this?" Gendry asked, and Arya stopped, looking over.

"What?"

"This... this toothpick?"

"It's hardly a _toothpick_ ," Arya snapped, "It's a knife my brother gave me for my birthday when I was younger- I never go anywhere without it." Gendry inspected the knife that she had in there, and hummed.

"It's really well made... and I know a good knife when I see one. Your brother... Robb, got it for you?"

"No, Jon."

"Oh... Robb's the only Stark kid I've heard of other than you up 'til now. After, you know... he started the rumour about Jaime and Cersei last summer." Arya snorted.

"Wasn't that priceless?"

"Hilarious," Gendry deadpanned, "I lived for hearing Cersei scream at everyone who snickered at the mention of it."

"Since when were you around Cersei?"

"She used to hang around with my brother Robert for a while... I think what ultimately brought their friendship to an end was being in constant favour of wine over each other's company. Anyway, where did Jon get the knife for you?"

"I don't know for sure, but I know he got it engraved for me. It's got my name on it, and everything. I call it Needle."

"You named your knife?" Gendry smiled, "Cool. Befitting name, I'll give you that."

"I could still gouge your eyes out with it and make intestine pie with it," Arya retorted, and Gendry put his hands up in defense, dropping the knife back into the bag.  

"I yield," he joked, and Arya shoved him. Gendry shoved her back, and accidentally pushed her over a tree stump.

"Owww!" she groaned, and Gendry ran over.

"Shit! Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to-"

Just as he was helping her up, they both looked over the stump... and got a full view of their destination.

"There it is," Gendry said under his breath, "The Eyrie."

"Awesome," Arya breathed, and Gendry had to admit that now that they were actually there, the idea was starting to seem cooler and cooler. Quickly, they approached the uphill climb to the bridge of the island with a sign stuck in the mud- "The Bloody Gate"- or what was left of it.

"You said Littlefinger had a part in getting the bridge destroyed?" Arya asked softly, studying the thin rope that stretched from one tree branch on their side to another across the water.

"Yeah," Gendry replied, eyes wide.

"They didn't do a very good job," she grinned, and went to grab on and cross. Before she could, Gendry put a hand on her shoulder, the older boy holding her back.

"Arya... I want to cross as much as you do. Believe me, I'm just as curious as you are- but that rope... I don't know how to swim, and I can't jump in after you if you slip- the current will sweep you away into the open sea."

"It's the only way," Arya insisted, "I won't slip, I'm good at this stuff."

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

"You sound like my brothers, gods!" she moaned, and jerked out of his grasp. "I'll be fine. _We'll_ be fine. It's a bright, sunny day- no wind, no danger. I'm tiny, and so are you." Gendry frowned at this comment.

"Well, I've been working out, actually-"

"Come _on_ , now that's the last I'll hear of it!" Gendry accepted defeat, and helped Arya up by hoisting her to the rope. Once she was finished climbing across, Gendry followed, and they both made it safely to the mysterious island that everyone spoke of on the mainland. 

"It's so spooky," the girl murmured, observing the unnerving silence and drifting fog. It seemed unnatural that the fog would only collect on this one island, especially on such a nice day.

"Shouldn't there be birds?" Gendry whispered.

"You're the expert," Arya whispered back.

"Why are we whispering?" The two looked at each other, then continued walking deeper into the fog, the sun slowly fading away with each step taken away from Westeros.

"What are those?" Arya asked, pointing to two stones over by a tree. Gendry squinted, and saw that there was one black one, and one white one.

"Who could have painted them?" he asked, and they both went over to get a closer look.

"Maybe there's buried treasure under them," Arya grinned.

"Or eroded bones."

"Even better!"

Gendry scoffed, but Arya raised an eyebrow at him. Knowing by now that there was no getting out of anything Arya wanted to do, Gendry sighed, and parted the stones; digging awaited.

* * *

 Varys leaned on his fist, looking out at the waves and the people playing on the beach from the counter of his souvenir shack.

"I heard the Stark and the Lannister boy are competing against one another today," the bald man commented, and Petyr looked up from the polishing of his sign.

"Which ones?"

Varys rolled his eyes over to Petyr. "You know very well which ones."

"Mm, yes. I've I heard the same. My money's on Jaime... as much as I have a soft spot for the Starks, the Lannisters have the advantage in almost any situation, and I hate making bad investments."

"I'm not so sure," Varys said slowly, "The Starks are known to fight with a vengeance when it comes to family honor, they're quite the popular lot amongst their peers, all that. I'm betting on Robb."

Petyr looked over with a set jaw, and the two tossed money into a betting pool between them.

"Perfect day for cliff diving!" Robb beamed, gazing down at the clear, sparkling water below. Theon, Sansa, Talisa, and some other people from the beach had gathered on his side, and on the other side, Jaime stood with Cersei and a couple of other supporters.

"A perfect day to win," Jaime said, and took off his shirt. A bunch of girls watching swooned with one collective sigh, and Jaime winked at them while Cersei tried her best not to punch a bitch.

Robb did the same. Women and men alike sighed, and Theon gave a playful wolf whistle and pretended to faint. Robb blew a kiss his way. Talisa smiled and kissed him on the cheek before he stepped up to the edge, and the two rival competitors prepared themselves for the dive. 

"Ready," one girl, who had red hair and a body to die for- most knew her as Ros- "Who will take the first jump?"

"I will," Jaime stepped forward to the edge, "So I don't have to watch Robb split his skull on the rocks." There were murmurs and sniggers throughout the crowd that had gathered, and Cersei smirked at Jaime.

"Alright. To your mark." The Lannister crouched a little, looking down. Heights didn't scare him in the slightest, and he knew he had this in the bag- he had taken diving lessons as a child, along with the ten other extracurriculars Tywin had thrust him into to ensure ultimate success. Besides, the thought that motivated him the most to win, over his own personal glory and even his sister's affection, was his father's thirst to be number one at everything. He had better carry that on, or...

"Jump!"

Jaime jumped off, spreading his arms and legs out into the graceful form that he learned in his prestigious lessons. Plunging with a clean slice into the waves below, he surfaced, wiping the shaggy blonde hair out of his eyes with a grin. "Your turn!" he shouted up, swimming ashore to the jagged rocks with effortless ease, "Don't die- it would be a pity to lose such a close enemy!"

Robb ignored Jaime's taunting from below, and, taking a deep breath, waited for the word.

"Ready?"

"I am."

"Jump!"

Before pushing off, Robb did what instinct told him to do- turned around, and flipped off backward. As he flipped down, he could feel the air whizzing by him, and let himself relax in knowing that he wouldn't hit the rocks. In his experience, belief could manifest reality; something he had learned from the wisdom of his father. And Cersei, with her withering bitchface, knew her brother had lost the moment Robb made his third flip.

"Good try," Robb nodded at a defeated Jaime as he climbed out of the water. Jaime just scoffed, closing his agape mouth.

"You may have won this one... but I challenge you to another," he growled, "Next week, push up contest on the beach. By my cottage." Robb nodded, shaking on it.

"Right... I'll see you then."

Jaime turned and walked away, staring up at Cersei. There would be revenge... or Tywin would kill them. Somewhere off in the distance, Petyr cursed Varys out mentally and the souvenir shop owner became twenty bucks richer.

* * *

 One Lannister, at least, who was not altogether that concerned about his family name was Tyrion.

"What's your name?" he asked one girl the night of the contest, who had ordered a white wine spritzer.

"Shae," she said.

"And yours?" he asked the next.

"Ros," she sighed with a flirty smile.

"Mmm. And what are you two lovely ladies up to today?"

"We were just at the contest between Jaime Lannister and Robb Stark," Shae offered.

"Contest? Nobody tells me anything," Tyrion muttered, and the girls giggled. "Well? Are you going to keep me in suspense?" he teased, leaning over the bar, "Who won?"

Ros and Shae looked at each other, then back at Tyrion.

"Robb," they both said at the same time, and the Lannister's eyebrows shot up. He was happy for the Starks... he was, truly. They definitely deserved this fluke of luck, and in beating Jaime, no less- but this meant turmoil when he got home, and he hated seeing his brother and sister upset... especially with the inevitability of his own involvement.

"Lovely," he sighed softly, downing the spritzer himself.

* * *

 Sansa stared at the cedar wood of the bunk atop hers. Arya was sleeping soundly, after coming home all dirty and claiming she had almost found buried treasure or something.

 _Whatever_.

She couldn't get her new friend off of her mind. She kept replaying that conversation over and over in her head, wondering how different it might have gone, how different she might have seemed if she had accepted the offer. She knew she was making too much of the whole thing. But still... that smile was simply hypnotic, and it was weird for her that this is exactly how she felt about Joffrey before...

Sansa sighed, closing her eyes and attempting to count herself to sleep. Maybe the next day she would find the girl again.

At morning light, the redhead was dressed and out of bed. She spent the day in town, shopping for dresses and pretty necklaces and such, and even paid the familiar little shops by the beach a visit, for old time's sake.

"Sansa!" she heard, and looked over to see a friendly face.

"Mr. Baelish," she smiled warmly, "It feels like forever since the last time I saw you!"

"Yes, you were just a girl the last summer I saw you... you're not a young girl anymore, but a woman," he said, and Sansa could have sworn she saw the shopkeeper bite his lip. She tilted her head, and Petyr cleared his throat. " _Almost_ a woman, of course."

"Yes... well, I should be going," she continued to smile, and waved as Petyr waved back, eyeing her intensely with unmistakeable desire.

Yes, there was some part of Sansa that found Littlefinger attractive... for his age, he was known as one of the most handsome men on Westeros Beach. This was, of course, a part of her that, since her teenage years had come around, had fantasized slightly about an older man like Petyr. But she was sure Petyr wanted something more than she was willing to give, and it mostly just creeped her out now after she had met Margaery.

A blush crossed her cheeks, and she wondered what these feelings even meant. She was probably just glad she had found a new friend. Just as she was turning, she ran right into-

"Sansa!" Margaery beamed, drawing her in for a tight hug, "How've you been?!" Sansa gulped, and before anything else could be said, she blurted,

"I want to go to a party!"

Margaery's eyes lit up, and her pink lips twisted upward into a smirk. "You've come to the right girl."

* * *

 "Do I look alright?" Sansa asked worriedly, smoothing out her pink sundress down for the umpteenth time that tepid night.

"You look fine, you look _amazing_! Trust me," Margaery assured, taking Sansa's hand, "Listen, nobody in here's even going to care what you're wearing. They're all a bunch of shitfaced idiots." Margaery's reassurances made Sansa smile, and her worry eased off a bit as they entered the rowdy beach house, detached from the others a little further west of the shoreline, by the rocks.  Once inside, Sansa had to remind herself not to gape- there were teenagers everywhere, making out, smoking up, getting tashered... and currently, she was actually one of them for once.

"This," Margaery said, stopping them in front of the biggest couch by the window, "Is my brother, Loras." The curly-haired blonde didn't stop making out with a bearded brunette, but he gave a quick wave before his hand dropped back to where it was on the other guy's ass. Margaery kicked him, and Loras rolled his eyes, breaking the kiss and nudging the other boy to roll off of him.

"Yeah, I'm Loras," he mumbled with a cordial smile, "Nice to meet you." Clearing his throat, he realized he had to make a better attempt at being social- something he failed at regularly. "What's, uh... what's your name, darling?"

"Sansa Stark," Sansa smiled back.

"I'm Renly Baratheon," the guy with the beard offered, shaking her hand. He looked nice, with kind brown eyes and fairly respectable clothing. "My brother knows your little sister, I think."

"And this," Margaery grinned, "Is-"

"Oberyn Martell, king of today's youth and conqueror of every alcoholic cocktail known to man," a tall boy with a thick foreign accent drawled, and Loras shoved him. Oberyn just chuckled. "I am the only one in this room who can hold my liquor properly, Sansa, my dear. Will you join me?" Waggling his eyebrows, Oberyn held out a hand. Sansa laughed a little, and took it as he pulled her down to sit. "You look absolutely radiant," Oberyn told Sansa, playing with her hair, and Sansa blushed a little.

"You really don't have to say that-"

"Oh, but I do! You look as if you just had the best orgasm of your life, my lovely!" 

Margaery sat next to a very shocked Sansa, laughing. "You'll get used to him," she whispered, and Sansa covered her mouth with a smile.

"Yes, almost as beautiful as my one true love, Ellaria Sand," Oberyn sighed passionately, and Renly rolled his eyes.

"Here we go."

"'Twas many years ago when I met my love- as blinding as the sun, as mysterious as the moon. She could not make it out with me to my family's summer home here, so I come alone with my sister, Elia. Elia became pregnant when she was younger than most, and now she has two sons. She works at Clegane Groceries, just in town- the co-owner, Gregor, offered her a job on the spot- he saw her, he hired her, he met her children. But, I digress- my Ellaria is a wonder to the eyes, but also to the _soul_ \- in my home country, we celebrate love like it is to be shared between every gender... not just one." Sansa smiled.

"Sounds lovely."

"It is," Oberyn grinned, kissing her hand.

Now, with all of them squishing onto the couch, beers were passed around. "To summer!" Oberyn shouted jovially, and half the people at the party cheered back, drinking together. Sansa tried some, and discovered it wasn't half bad; maybe she _could_ do this, and enjoy it. They seemed like decent people- her father might even like them- so it couldn't be all bad... right?

Margaery's smirk in her direction told the oldest Stark girl she had a lot to learn.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hodor, I've made an important decision," Bran said, setting his things down on the counter and wheeling himself to his usual spot by the shop. Hodor popped his head out of a fridge.

"Hodor?"  

"There comes a time in a person's life when they must reflect. I believe I have come to that point. I, Bran Stark, am going to write an autobiography!"

"Hodor!" Hodor smiled encouragingly, and Bran smiled back.

"Thanks, Hodor. I'll need your help, though. I need all the support I can get!"

"With what?" he heard, and turned his head to see Meera and Jojen approaching.

"Oh- I'm writing something," Bran explained, "An autobiography of sorts."

"Cool," Meera said, "What sort of things do you think you'll put in there?"

"Well... as you can tell, I haven't lived much yet," Bran admitted, "But I suppose I could throw in some stuff about how I lost the use of my legs."

"How did you?" Jojen asked slowly. Bran looked down to his lap, fiddling with the hem of his shirt before looking up with something of a wistful smile.

"Guess you'll just have to read and find out." He turned to find Hodor ready with his banana split, and when he tried to pay, Hodor shook his head, pushing his money back. Bran smiled up at his new friend.

* * *

 "What do you think dad's going to think of this whole thing?" Cersei hissed. Jaime dragged a towel over his wet hair, and shook the water off like a dog.

"That's the first question you ask me? Not, 'oh, weren't you just as brave as a lion!?' or 'did you hurt anything on impact?'"

"Didn't hurt anything of importance, I hope."

"Be decent, Cersei."

The girl smirked. "All of that aside, you know dad's wrath is more important than how many bones you broke falling off a cliff."

"More like pirouetting gracefully off the agreeable side of a rock."

" _More like_ failing and letting Robb fucking _Stark_ spoil our reputation! Your well-being holds no importance to that."

"Oh, you're cold."

"I _am_ a bitch, remember?"

"That you are, dear sister." The twins came to the family cottage, and opened the door as quietly as they could. Peeking around the corner, they could see their father sitting in his armchair and reading the paper as usual, and Tyrion, sprawled out on the couch opposite him, picking his teeth casually.  

"So what are you going to tell him?" Cersei hissed.

"Why does he even need to know?!"

"He'll find out. It will lighten the blow if he finds out from us. What will you do, Jaime?"

"I'm going to silently sneak past him-"

"He'll never let you past his-"

"Quiet, he'll hear us-" 

"What is this I hear about a Stark getting the better of a Lannister in public?" Their father's clipped voice cut through their hushed argument as they attempted to sneak behind the big armchair in the living room. Jaime shut his eyes, then cleared his throat, circling around to face Tywin.

"O-only rumors."

Tywin raised an eyebrow. "Only rumors, you say? So it's only a rumor that every teenager girl in this resort town is swooning over the eldest Stark boy, and his positively _chivalrous_ win? Oh, and you don't even want to know what they're saying about his abdominal definition-"

"Are you in the habit of overhearing conversations of teenage girls?" Tyrion commented, quirking his head. All three Lannisters turned to him, Jaime and Cersei waving their hands behind him in warning. Tywin narrowed his eyes at his second youngest son.

"You overhear so much when you care to pay attention. _You_ stay out of what does not concern you."  He turned to look Jaime in the eye. "Now. Was it your goal to make people laugh at you?"

Jaime looked down with a sigh. "Obviously not-"

"Well, you've achieved this, notwithstanding. I expect you to correct such a view of our family, before the Starks become the talk of the town for their bravery and performance against us, do you hear me? It's time you lived up to your true potential."

"Yes, dad."

"And Cersei? Put on some clothes. I don't want my daughter looking like that tasteless Tyrell whore, whose father I always try to avoid in town. God, that man will talk his way to September."

Cersei led Jaime back to their rooms, where Jaime let out a long breath. "I tried. I really did."

"I know you did," Cersei said softly, taking his hands, "But sometimes it doesn't matter. He doesn't respond to anything but success."

"It's certainly draining, how much the man demands to be impressed," Jaime chuckled, and Cersei smiled a little as well.

"You're not wrong. But you know what you have to do."

"I have to beat Robb at the next contest."

"It's only a push-up contest. You've been athletic all your life, there's no cause for worry there."

"Robb's got the muscle."

"But you've got the dedication. You've seen the way he laughs and wings everything he does. He may be good, but you're calculated, precise. He won't see it coming... he'll never see it coming."

Jaime nodded, and reached forward to cup Cersei's cheek and draw her in for a kiss. They pulled away after a minute, hearing someone walk by the door. Most likely Tyrion, finally retiring to his room to sext with his new fuck budd(ies) he met at his bar.

"Didn't father say something about changing your clothes?" Jaime asked playfully, trailing a hand up her thigh, and Cersei shrugged the straps off of her top, straddling him.

* * *

 "Good. Nobody touched it," Arya said. It had been a week since her and Gendry had been able to make it back out to the island, and the entire time, Arya had worried- with much assurance from Gendry that nobody dared venture far enough- that their treasure would be usurped. If, of course, it was treasure at all, and not some kind of Indian burial ground.

"Who would touch it?" Gendry asked, "Nobody comes out here but us."

Just as soon as the words left his lips, Arya gasped, and Gendry looked down to where she was now pointing.

 _Footprints_.

"The ghost _is_ real," Arya whispered, the wind carrying her small voice into an eerie echo.

"Ghosts don't make footprints," Gendry breathed, suddenly apprehensive to any real danger this might pose to them.

"Well, this one does! Maybe it's a scary monster, who wants to eat us or kill us with just one touch."

"Or, maybe it's a person. A knife wielding, psychopathic-"

"You said yourself that we're alone on the island!"

"I don't know everything, Arya, even though you seem to think I do!" 

"Shhh, keep your voice down... the ghost could hear you."

Gendry scoffed. "Why don't we just dig?" With a pensive bite to her lip and one last glance around through the fog, the Stark girl nodded, and got on her hands and knees to discover what mystery lies below the uncharted dirt. After about twenty minutes or so of digging, they found a little box.

"What is it?" Arya asked in wonder, frowning down at the little thing. It had two sides with which to open it- it resembled the stones, with one painted stark white, the other charcoal black. "It must be symbolic of something. My dad says everything is filled with symbolic stuff... what does it mean?"

"Again, you're assuming I have all the answers," Gendry muttered, "It just looks like a painted box to me."

"Duh! Only, painting a box and burying it on an abandoned island isn't exactly normal."

"Then let's open it," Gendry shrugged noncommittally, attempting to hide his excitement. Suddenly, as they each took a side to pull open, they heard rustling around them, a crack, and looked up- just in time to catch a glimpse of a tall, grey figure, gliding through the trees ahead.

"Run... run, now..." Gendry said, as calmly as he could muster, but Arya stood her ground, holding up her fists.

"We found the box! I'm not going to let someone ta- oof!" She stopped short as Gendry jerked her by the arm back the way they came. "Stop! Stop, we can't leave it!"

"We can if it means _living_ ," Gendry hissed, and kept running without one look back to the strange hooded creature that had found them.

* * *

 Summer was officially in full tilt. Almost at the tipping point between July and August, the heat had arrived in full, and did not relent whatsoever. The beach was full each and every day- which finally meant more work for the action-starved lifeguards.

"Is that bastard drowning?" Grenn asked, pulling out a pair of binoculars that Mormont had supplied.

"No, he's just trying to impress his girlfriend," Edd muttered.

"How do you know? He's flailing about. I... I think he's choking now."

"Meh, let Rast deal with the idiot. He's done fuck-all this summer except for follow Karl Tanner around, echoing his insults like a bad fucking translator."

"Speaking of translator... don't you think we should learn whatever exotic language Dany's been speaking?" Pyp piped up.

"Words won't matter once I teach her the language of love," Grenn grinned, and Jon rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. Sometimes he wondered how this friend group even came to form- with him in it, particularly.

"You know Gilly is on duty all the time too? Just like us! Picks up garbage all night..." Sam smiled fondly.

"You know how much I care?" Edd replied, and Sam frowned. 

"Well... well, I don't care about you!" 

"Ask me if I care."

"There seems to be a lot of not-caring going on, and not enough _watching_ ," Jon interrupted, as he seemed to be the only one of the bunch who could get them all back on task. Silence befell them once more, and Jon turned to Sam.  

"Have you thought about trying to talk to her?" Sam's eyes widened to the size of plates, and he shook his head quickly.

"Oh, no! No, I... I'm far too scared, Jon, you know me."

"Figured as much. Look, we're going to make a plan, you hear me? Gilly would be lucky to meet you, and obviously, you're anxious to meet her, instead of staring at her all day and all night, which is Petyr Baelish-level creepy."

"Who's-?"

"Never mind. Just listen to my plan- tonight, we meet here, at the first red cone on the beach. Bring tape and a lighter."

"Tape and a lighter? Are we kidnapping the poor soul?" Sam asked, leaning in slightly with a perplexed look on his face. Jon smiled.

"No, no- this is how you win a girl's heart, Sam. Trust me."

* * *

 Dany rummaged through her bag, pulling out her white dress. She loved that dress so much, and it was the perfect garment for what she was about to do. Living dangerously was part of who she was- so skinny dipping was a thrill she planned to take advantage of, being so close to the water once again this summer. She's have to avoid those annoying lifeguards, though... little did they know, she had a husband where she was from, who she had married when she was quite young- a man who loved her more than the world, even after the row they had, she was sure. That's why she had traveled out to the beach alone, after their disagreement... but she could take care of herself without him.

Dany was immune to any other flirtation. Of course, that's what she assumed they were doing- flirting. It was likely, anyway... Dany was a sexual person by nature, contrary to all those rumors being passed around that she was an innocent little flower under some law of her perceived religion. Good thing she couldn't understand most of these rumors, as she hated being called a prude.

Slipping out of her clothes, she put the loose white dress on, and grabbed a towel as well, heading out to the beach. The moon was high, and the crickets were chirping... it was a starry night; perfect for a little bit of peace and privacy, if she could find the right spot- she didn't need to worry about falling under; she was an extremely strong swimmer.  

Out on the very same part of the beach, Sam stumbled along, attempting to keep up with Jon.

"Wait... w-wait just a m-!"

"Shhh, keep your voice down. You don't want to get caught."

"Jon- _Jon_! Jon, wait... just what are we doing?"

Jon sighed, finding a good spot to stop. "Collect some sticks."

"What?"

"Just do it, Sam."

"Oh my. There she is!" Sam whispered, chest heaving. Jon grabbed the supplies from his hands- they had the duct tape, the lighter, and now a few twigs. "Oh dear lord, she looks beautiful, Jon..."

"If you say so," Jon murmured back, and looked down at the sticks he had laid out. "Alright then- we're going to write her a message using these, and when you've laid it all out, I'll blaze them up."

"It'll be like... like burning a message in the sand!"

 "Well, yeah."

"How romantic," Sam grinned, "You're the best, Jon."

"Just arrange the sticks, and tape them together," Jon smirked, and looked around. Then he saw it- a flash of blonde hair in the cove, and... "Oh, shit."

"What is it? Did Gilly see me? Oh, Jon, she's gorgeous-"

"No, Sam, it's Dany... she's... she's-"

"What in good heaven's name is going on here?!" they both heard, and for a split second, both boys believed it to be Gilly's infamous killer father, come to slay all who lay eyes on his daughter.

"Run! It's Craster!" Sam shouted, whipping around. But it was much worse than a stingy garbage man come to ream them out...

It was Mormont.

"Oh, sir!" Sam stuttered, "Its... it's nice to see you out and about this fine-"

"Save your breath, Tarly," Mormont muttered, advancing on them, "What's this about Craster? And just what are you two doing out here this late, spying on that girl with tape and fire at the ready?!"

Jon and Sam looked at each other, down at their unorthodox-looking supplies, and out to where Daenerys had taken to stripping down to nothing in the water.

"This isn't what it looks like," Jon tried, but Mormont grabbed him by the collar, dragging him in close.

"I told you not to do anything stupid, boy."

Jon swallowed, and along her route on the beach to pick up the odd beer bottle and candy wrapper, Gilly looked up curiously at the commotion to accidentally meet Sam's eyes. The two shared a moment, before Sam was jolted back into the harsh reprimanding they were on the receiving end of.

Gilly looked down, smiling to herself with the faintest of blushes.

* * *

 People gathered along the beach to watch the event. The golden-haired Lannister boy was stretching, as if in preparation for something particularly athletic, and more and more people gathered, Robb became visible in the middle of the crowd.

"You beat me once, you won't do it again," Jaime told Robb quietly, "And there's no way you can beat me at my own game- I invented the one handed double slap push up."

"And for that I commend you," Robb answered, offering a small bow in his adversary's direction, "But like all masterful techniques, I'm sure I can perfect it in time."

"Time's one thing you don't have, Stark," Jaime smirked, stretching his triceps behind his head.

"Good thing Robb's never been one for patience," Theon supplied with a wide grin, and fist bumped his friend as Robb walked forward to face Jaime once again. Cersei watched from the circle surrounding, eyes cold and calculating. She wouldn't see him lose again. Not this time, not with even more people watching.

Getting into position, Robb went first this time. He had Talisa, Theon, and all sit on his back and legs as he held himself up, and when Ros told him to go, he went down, pushing himself back up. He completed five before the time was cut off, and it was Jaime's turn. Cersei's fist tightened, and nodded to her brother subtley. He would do this. He had to.

Grinning at everyone, the cocky blonde laughed. "Good job, Stark. You almost might've beaten me with that display of strength. Luckily, I've got my trick... ladies?" Three women to match what Robb had done came and sat on Jaime's back, and on the first push-up, Jaime clapped his chest twice before catching himself again. A murmur went throughout the crowd... but just as he was doing the fourth, his elbow wavered, and gave out under the weight.

Cersei let out a growl, and Robb's eyebrows shot up as Jaime cursed, getting up. "Mine were still better," he tried to say, "I deserve to win, did you see what I did?"

"Rules are rules," Ros clucked, "While it was... _fun_ to stare at your lovely biceps, Mr. Lannister," she flirted, "Robb did more in the given time." Cersei seethed at the promiscuous redhead. _How dare she?_

"Dammit," the blonde growled, flopping onto his back as the crowd dispersed again. Robb turned before he left.

"I'll give you one more try, Lannister."

"What?" Jaime groaned, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Surfing contest, in two weeks. I know you're a good surfer... you're much better than I am, which already gives you the advantage. What do you say?"

"I don't need your charity."

"Fine, if you... and your father... can live with the fact that I beat you twice." Jaime grimaced, and looked down, grinding his teeth.

"Very well. I accept."

"Good. Until then... I suggest you train better." He chuckled in good nature as he walked away.

Cersei came up to her brother and grabbed his arm as Jaime waited for the onslaught of insults and anger- it didn't come. Turning curiously, Jaime looked into Cersei's eyes, and saw that she was thinking.

"You're thinking," Jaime voiced, "This can't be good." 

"Do you see what he's just handed us?" Cersei hissed bluntly. Jaime blinked with a frown.

"Pardon?"

"Robb Stark just challenged you to a surfing contest in two weeks. A huge storm is coming-- not a figurative one-- and it could come at the perfect time for this contest!"

"Right... I fail to see how this is a good thing," Jaime continued, cocking his head a little in confusion. Cersei just smiled.

"We won't have to deal with him again after this stupid contest."

"What do you mean?" Jaime asked apprehensively.

"We'll be rid of Robb Stark after he drowns in the ocean," the young woman smirked, and Jaime went pale.

"Wait... hold on, Cersei- we're talking about _murder_ here!"

"It's not murder if it's an accident," she whispered, "He's out in the water, doing what he does best... we let the waves do the rest."

"Cersei, Jesus-"

"Just think of it, Jaime! Nobody can challenge you again, and it will put an end to our differences with the Starks because they'll most likely never come back after this horrible... _unexpected_ tragedy." Jaime closed his eyes. He couldn't do it... he just couldn't!

Still... some of Cersei's reasons were quite tempting.

"It would save us so much strife," Jaime murmured, rubbing his bottom lip.

"A Lannister always pays their debts," Cersei reminded him, "Father taught us that. Robb Stark has stolen your title from you- you're the laugh of Westeros; even Tyrion is laughing at you, wherever he is, whoring himself out, the little monster. But once we get you on that surfboard, we're going to be sure to put an end to any opposition... make no mistake."

Jaime looked at his sister, than out at the perfectly still seawater. Part of him, deep down, hoped it would stay that way... the other, hoped it would be the biggest storm Westeros had ever seen.

* * *

 A week had passed since the incident with the hooded figure. Arya sat at home, planning in her mind when she would return to the island with Gendry... they had met up a couple of times and discussed it. Now, the girl sat on her bunk, staring out the window in deep thought.

"What's on your mind, my dear?"

Arya turned to find her mother entering the room, and grinned. "Mum, you'll never guess what we found!"

"First thing's first- who's we?"

"Gendry and I."

"Gendry and _me_ , now who's Gendry?"

"My friend," Arya shrugged, then turned to Catelyn. "We found this great treasure from this great island! It was really cool, mum."

"And, just what was the name of this island?" Catelyn asked playfully, for there were no accessible islands around Westeros beach Arya could have stumbled upon.

"The Eyrie." Catelyn's face changed, and her heart skipped a beat. Arya took her silence as ignorance. "You know... the one you went to when you were a kid?"

"Where did you find such a place? And how did you find out about... that?" Catelyn asked, her voice audibly frightened. Arya shrugged again, the motion irritating her mother.

"Gendry told me."

"This boy showed you the island?"

"Yeah. We were exploring it, and we found this box, but we saw a ghost as well, and now we're going to go back to-"

"No. You are never to go back there, do you hear me?" Arya's mouth remained open for a moment, slowly closing as her face fell.

"But-"

"Do you _hear_ me?!" Catelyn repeated sternly, and Arya looked down.

"Yes, mum."

"Do you swear?"

"I swear." But both knew just how well the girl could lie... and just how blatant her disregard for rules was, when it came to something so real and exciting for once in her life. There was no way Arya was letting this go just like that... she had to find Gendry.

* * *

 "How are you enjoying the cotton candy shots?" Loras smirked at Sansa, who was struggling to keep the latest sugary pink concoction down. She had decided to attend another party, this time at the Baratheon's family cabin, with her new friends that night.

"You look a little green," Renly added with a wince. 

"At least green is your colour," Loras mused. Sansa moaned softly, feeling a little dizzy, and Margaery pulled Sansa's red hair back into a loose bun for her. Sansa shook her head adamantly, wiping her glistening lips.

"No, no, I'm... I'm loving them," she laughed, a little lost to the effects, "They're... mmm, so _ssssweet_." No, no she wasn't thinking of Margaery's lips.

"That they are," Loras affirmed, and with one shot of blue cotton candy vodka mixture himself, the preppy rich boy went right back to his favourite pass-time... making out with Renly. Oberyn, who was dressed today in a crop top and wrap skirt, had taken to singing a loud, rousing song with the other people, who were just as drunk as Sansa or worse.

"Will you lot bloody keep it down?!" Stannis, the middle brother, shouted from upstairs, and from where he was entertaining a group of girls, Robert, Renly's older brother, burped loudly before shouting, "Invest in some earplugs, ya choad!"

Renly laughed. "Stannis is such a spoilsport... at least Gendry knows how to hole up in his room rather than ruin our fun."

"Stannis' _job_ is to ruin all the fun," Margaery joked, "If not for him, we'd probably be left in a pile of burning rubble that _used_ to be this cabin."

"At least with Robert around we would be," Loras muttered, watching the oldest Baratheon brother chug from a beer hose. 

All of this was still strange for Sansa; she had never felt as... _out of touch_ as she did when she was drunk. In some ways, it scared her, but in other ways, it opened her up to finally feeling like she belonged with a group of accepting, awesome people... people who were _real_ , who didn't give a shit what anyone thought of them.  

And then, of course, there was the issue of Margaery.

Maybe she could pass it off as the result of one too many tipped back, but Sansa could swear she felt that jumpy, tingling feeling return whenever she looked at the girl. It was a happy feeling, one that made her want to-

Sansa frowned, standing up a little too quickly. Margaery was her friend, nothing more, right? Well, it certainly wouldn't matter if it went beyond that... But it wouldn't go beyond _that_ , because... _god_ , _because_....

Sansa lost her train of thought, falling back onto the couch and right into Margaery's arms in defeat. Soon, she found herself on her friend's lap, face being stroked by gentle fingertips with long, manicured nails.

"All the fun and good times you'd imagined it would be?" she faintly heard Margaery's seductive voice, and a pleasant shudder ran through Sansa's body as she licked her lips.

"Better."

"Good... we were hoping you'd like to accompany us tubing next in a few days, then," Marg replied, continuing to stroke Sansa's face, "That is, if you're not too hung-over." Once again, Renly spoke up, breaking away from Loras' increasingly needy lips.

"Gosh, Sans, have you seen the Lannisters' yacht? The Tyrell's is twice as nice." Sansa felt a smile creep onto her face. _I really shouldn't, but-_

"That sounds absolutely perfect."

* * *

Bran banged his head against the counter, so many times out of frustration that Hodor intervened and put his palm between the boy's face and the counter out of concern.

"Hodor?"

 Bran sighed, looking up. "Writer's block, Hodor, in the _home stretch_. It's complete and utter agony."

"Hodor?!" Hodor asked again insistently, increasingly worried for his friend. Bran put up a hand.

"It's... I'm not in agony, not _really_ , I'm just... annoyed, that's all." Hodor seemed to visibly relax a little, and Bran scooped some strawberry ice cream from his favourite dessert into his mouth. "I just don't know what to write!" Hodor patted the arm of Bran's wheelchair, and Bran nodded. "I already wrote down everything I could think of about what happened. I don't want to bore people by going on." Hodor nodded as well, and Bran sighed.

"Look at me. Writing a book about my boring life while my entire family does exciting things- even my mum's probably having more fun than I am."

"Hodor?" 

"My mum! Of course! I'll write about my parents in the last chapter, as a sort of acknowledgement. Thanks a bunch, Hodor- I'll be done in no time, now."

"Hodor," Hodor smiled, and put an extra scoop of vanilla in Bran's bowl.

* * *

"She could have been killed out there!" Catelyn exclaimed, pacing by the window. 

"I don't know how she got all the way out there without us noticing she'd been gone for hours."

"Well, Ned, we just assumed she was on the beach, not... almost getting herself drowned on that deathtrap of an island!"

"Relax, come here... she's safe, and she's promised you she won't go back."

"We both know how reassuring that is," Catelyn retorted, wiping her eyes. Ned wrapped his arms around his wife as she sat down beside him.

"Arya's a plucky young girl. Now, I'm not about to say she can take care of herself and all that jazz, because I agree that she's far too young to be doing something so dangerous, but she's not as fragile as Sansa was at her age. I probably worry more about bloody Robb than I do Arya, Cat."

Cat nodded, leaning into Ned, and decided to change the subject to spare her own sanity. "I was thinking... I'm going to take Bran into town with me tomorrow to get some marshmallows and s'more fixings- you know how the kids love them- we should have a campfire in the pit out back before we leave."

"Mm, that's right... only three weeks of summer left, eh?" Ned mused, rubbing his beard, "Sounds good, love. Though I haven't seen Sansa around during the daytime, have you?"

"She's off with a new friend during the day, I think she told me," Catelyn said absentmindedly, "Margaery, or something."

"Glad to see she's finally come to her senses about that damn Lannister boy," Ned growled, "After what he pulled, if I ever get my hands on him-"

"Oh, you're just as bad as Robb," Catelyn chuckled, placing her gentle hands over Ned's larger ones, "Joffrey is gone, thank goodness. Now all we have to worry about is Jaime and that horrid sister of his."

"I say we don't have to worry at all," Ned murmured, "Haven't you been keeping up with the gossip? Robb's been wiping the floors with Jaime in those little contests!"

"Is that right?" Catelyn smiled.

"Aye. Boy has family pride... and a strong back."

"Like his father," Catelyn whispered, smiling. "Speaking of strong backs... you seem to have fixed the bed, I see." Cat's blossoming grin was infectious, and Ned was careful this time to ease his wife down instead of splintering the delicate frame all over again.


	6. Chapter 6

Arya felt like a secret agent as she sneaked out of the cabin bright and early, meeting up with Gendry in their spot by the woods. Today was the day they went back- regardless of what her mother said. There were only three weeks left before they had to go back home, and she wasn't about to leave this place undiscovered just because some ghost walked about.

She wasn't going to tell Gendry about the fact that she had been caught by her mother, so they started off in silence on their way back to the island.

"Do you think we'll see the ghost again?" she finally spoke up.

"Dunno," Gendry replied, slinging his backpack further over his shoulder, "Hope not."

"I thought the ghost was cool."

"You ran like a little bitch when you saw it."

"I'm not a little bitch, _you_ were the one who ran away!" Arya protested, punching Gendry in the shoulder. This time, he punched right back, and Arya grinned, as did Gendry, until the boy wiped the smile off his face.

"Sorry."

"Whatever," Arya mumbled, still smiling, and the two made it to the rope. It was drizzling lightly that day, which disrupted the water a little, but the rope was fine to cross; as they had done it many times before, it was easy to.

"You alright? You seem... off, today," Gendry mentioned as they hauled their stuff back up on the island.

"I'm fine," Arya muttered, then thought back to what her mother had said. She didn't care, she really didn't... but-

"It's just..." Gendry looked up as Arya spoke, but the girl changed her mind before she revealed anything. "It's just, what if there's something in the box the ghost wants?"

"That's highly likely," Gendry nodded, and Arya sighed as they came to the burial site of the strange little artifact.

"Let's break it open," Arya murmured, and unzipped her backpack to get out her knife. They sat down, and just as they were cracking it open, the wind whistled particularly close to them through the trees. Gendry looked up, but Arya continued to concentrate on discovering what was inside the box.

"Arya," Gendry whispered, and Arya shoved a hand in his face, prying open the box. Inside, was...

"Has a girl found what she was looking for?"

Arya and Gendry both jumped, the knife and the box clattering to the ground, and whipped around to find the grey ghost behind them, cloak over his head.

"Who are you?!" Arya shouted, standing up and balling her fists, and Gendry swallowed, standing up as well.

"Has a girl _found_ what she was looking for?" he repeated insistently, and Arya looked down at the box.

"There was nothing in it."

"Then perhaps, a girl searches for nothing."

"What?" Arya asked, frowning as she backed away. Gendry stepped in front of Arya as the ghost advanced by a step.

"A boy protects a girl... why?"

"This entire thing was my doing," Gendry mumbled shakily, "I can't let anything happen to her."

"It was my idea to come here, if something happens to me, it's my fault!" Arya protested, but Gendry remained where he was. "Who are you?" she repeated.

"A man's name is Jaqen H'Ghar."

"Wait... you're not a ghost?" Arya asked, feeling rather stupid for even asking that. At this, Jaqen smiled.

"No. A man is not a ghost- just a spiritual wanderer, who happened to find his home here."

"Why do you talk like that?"

"A man simply talks how he talks." Arya thought of something.

"What happened to my mother and her friends all those years ago? Did you push Lysa Arryn?"

"A man does not know of what you speak."

"Three teenagers came here years ago."

Jaqen nodded. "So they did."

"And one died."

Jaqen still looked confused. "Perhaps... elements of such is just a story."

"Petyr Baelish must have lied about Lysa!" Arya whispered to Gendry, "She probably just headed back to shore and went home after their adventure got too scary for her."

"But... why?"

Arya shrugged. "He always likes spreading stories, that guy. Especially ones that will get him recognized for something." Arya looked back to Jaqen again.

"Why are people so scared of you? They say you've got blue skin and icy white eyes. You don't look like that... and you don't seem terribly mean or frightening."

"A man does not know," Jaqen shook his head, "Perhaps because of his appearance," he said, gesturing to his hood, "Or his lifestyle, living on an island on his own. But there is something far more frightening on this island than a man."

"What?" Gendry asked, his stomach flip-flopping back up again.

"The storming sea that surrounds it," Jaqen replied gravely.

* * *

 Robb and Theon sat inside the Greyjoys' cabin, controllers in their orange-stained hands and Talisa's around her boyfriend's torso. The waves crashed against the shore right outside the place loudly, as it was one of the only cottages on Westeros beach that was built this close to the water. Baelon, Theon's asshole dad, obviously didn't care about high tide, as displayed through the moulding cracks in the sea-bleached floorboards.

"Right, right, x, down," Talisa told Robb, and Robb's Sub-Zero turned Theon's player to ice before smashing him.

"Pass me another cheeto," Robb told Theon, and the blonde scoffed.

"I'm about to beat you, no way! Ask Tali."

"You wouldn't beat me if I had my eyes closed Theon, and Tali's busy helping me win, now give me another cheeto!" Theon watched as Robb's player finished his own, and sunk into the carpet, dropping his controller in favor of the cheeto bag.

"Not fair," he mumbled dejectedly.

The Greyjoys were the only ones aside from the Baratheons in Westeros who had a video game console in their nautically-decorated cabin. The Starks certainly didn't, so whenever the three of them got bored, they would relax in Theon's room and game.

"Not our fault you picked a crap player," Talisa grinned, "Cassie Cage? _Really_?"

"She has cool fatalities," Theon sulked.

"Yeah, like you'll ever get to use them," Robb laughed, and high fived his girlfriend. Theon rolled onto his back in lethargy, and Talisa snuggled up to Robb.

"Robb," she started, and he looked down at her.

"Yeah?"

She walked her fingers up his chest, and bit her lip. "Do you even know how to surf?"

Robb sighed. "I thought we weren't going to talk about that today."

"I'm just worried! Have you ever _actually_ surfed? And boogey boarding doesn't count, Robbert Stark."

"Of course I've surfed," Robb told her, "Why would I challenge Jaime to a contest I couldn't win?"

"Because you're dumb and like to be nice and let people win," Theon muttered.

"Have I let him win so far?!" Robb asked incredulously, tossing a cheeto over. It hit Theon's face, who picked it up from the floor and ate it.

"Nope. And you won't this time."

"Exactly. I'm out for blood after what his family did to Sansa."

"That was terrible," Talisa agreed, tracing circles into Robb's chest, "Just... be careful. I know I say this all the time, but we all know the Lannisters play dirty, and they could be up to anything."

"They could," Robb acknowledged, "But I've only got three weeks to prove to Jaime Lannister and this whole beach that the Starks won't be beaten. Not anymore." Theon hummed.

"I think you're bullshitting."

"What?"

"The idea that you know how to surf is laughable," he grinned, "I could out-surf anyone, especially you, any day." 

Robb frowned. "That's unfair- you live by the sea and Jaime's family lives on a _cliff_ by the sea. I live in a perpetual state of blizzard; what am I supposed to ride, a snow bank?"

Theon shrugged, then sighed. "Alright, okay- take it from the master. All you've got to do to win, is..." They all gathered around the water expert, consoles discarded. 

* * *

 Catelyn pushed Bran's wheelchair along the aisle inside Clegane Groceries. There were camping supplies all over the place, as well as items everyone would need for a great summer season. Mojito mixes to fresh melon to cheap sunglasses and disposable cameras, it was the perfect place to get what they needed for the campfire.

"Can we try white chocolate for the s'mores this time?" Bran asked, taking a bar off the shelf. 

"Your father likes tradition, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try it," Catelyn shrugged, examining the chocolate before placing it in the basket, "I know it's Jon's favourite kind of chocolate." Bran thought for a moment. 

"Jon's busy with the Beach Watch, isn't he?"

"He is," Catelyn agreed, looking around for graham crackers, "He's been very busy saving all the poor souls that go out there and get pinched by hermit crabs and such."

"Mum," Bran admonished, and Catelyn chuckled. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. The lifeguards are very brave, Bran, but it's not like they've been very much needed this summer."

"Summer's not over yet," Bran mumbled thoughtfully, and Cat shook her head.

"No it isn't. Speaking of, what will you be doing the last few weeks of the month? The book Robb got you has been sitting, untouched, on your nightstand."

"I found other things to do," Bran smiled.

"Such as?"    

"I made some friends at the ice cream stand. There's Meera and Jojen, who come by once in a while because they live here all year round, and then there's Hodor, who owns the place."

"Hodor?"

"Yes. He doesn't say much, but he's helping me write my book."

"Your book? Goodness, you've been up to a lot, my little prodigy," Catelyn smiled, raising an eyebrow as she picked out some jumbo marshmallows. Suddenly, they both heard a jovial voice behind them.

"Mrs. Stark!"

Catelyn's eyes shut, and she sucked in some air through her nose before plastering on a cordial smile. Upon turning, they found who was essentially the village idiot- Mace Tyrell. A nice enough man, but he just never _stopped_.

"Fancy seeing you here, Mrs. Stark, I just saw Tywin in here not long ago!"

"Well, people do generally turn up at grocery stores, Mace. Everybody needs to shop once in a while."

"Quite right. And how are you this fine day, young man?" he asked Bran, and Bran smiled politely.

"Well, thanks."

"Good to hear, good to hear. Yes, Tywin and I discussed the matter of the peculiar weather Westeros has been having these past few weeks- peculiar indeed, there appears to be a storm coming very soon!"

"Mmm," Catelyn affirmed, attempting to steer the painfully irrelevant conversation to a close, but Mace just followed them, as he did.

"Do you know that my daughter and your daughter have been spending every day together since last month? Delightful!"

This time, Catelyn looked over, curiosity peaked. 

"I have heard from Sansa, yes, but she's been very vague. Do you have any idea what they might be doing? I don't hear much by way of plans from her."

"Oh, adolescent girls do what they will with all of their rowdy young friends, I have no possible idea," Mace chuckled, "I just let them use the cabin without a second thought, really." Catelyn frowned at this, but said nothing. Maybe her father's ineffectual ability to reprimand was why Margaery dressed so immodestly; but then, it wasn't her place to challenge another's parenting. Margaery seemed like a pleasant enough girl, incredibly bright too, from what she had heard. "I trust them enough, though. The place hasn't burned down yet, I'm sure they're enjoying themselves responsibly, as they do back in Highgarden."

"Surely," Catelyn echoed with a deep breath, and Mace continued to follow them to the ice cream section.

"I did happen to catch that they were taking the boat out tomorrow."

"Oh?" Catelyn asked, wondering why Sansa was so quick to go yachting again after... well, what had happened with Joffrey.

"Yes, but not to worry, of course- I'm quite convinced Loras and Margaery will take the initiative of providing life jackets."

"I do certainly hope so."

"Now, onto a matter of importance- I wanted an educated opinion here- what are your thoughts on these _ludicrous_ prices, hm?" he asked, picking up a box of creamsicles, "Tywin agrees with me--" he looked rather proud of this fact, "--even though he could buy out this store if he wanted to..." Bran almost laughed at his mother's exasperated expression. 

* * *

 "I won't tell your fathers," Mormont sighed, pacing as Jon looked up at him, "You'd better count your lucky stars I'm a reasonable enough man to believe you've learned your lesson. But by _god_ , I never want to see you- _any_ of you lot, for that matter- around that damned Targaryen girl again! I would have thought I'd trained better lifeguards, to do their damned job!"

Sam winced with every hard consonant Mormont pronounced, and Jon sat and took it. There was no use trying to explain to their supervisor that they hadn't even considered the fact that Daenerys Targaryen had been even _out_ there, naked as she was.

"You're lucky she came here on a visit alone and not with any parents, because if I was her father, I would have your heads for this!" Mormont continued, then sighed, sagging a little as he looked over at Sam's nervous fidgeting. "Boys... I don't want to be this hard on you. I don't." He sat down beside them. "You're good lads, there's no doubt about that- at least when we've got idiots like Karl Tanner and Rast running about, god help me," he rubbed his forehead, "But in order to be a _man_ of the Beach Watch- a lifeguard held in high esteem among families here- you must earn your place as an honourable member, ready to save lives at any moment. What do you think would have happened to a poor bloke who caught himself on some coral while you two gawked at a girl?" Jon and Sam nodded, and Mormont got up. "Do you understand what I mean, then?" 

"We do, sir."

"Yes, sir."

Mormont nodded. "Good. Off with you, then."

Despite himself, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself as the two left... beneath his stern face and strict rules, he remembered what it was like to be eighteen. That got him thinking of Jorah... what resort had it been that he defected to? Ah, yes... Pyramid Springs in Mereen. Jesus, that was halfway across the world. Sometimes he missed his son, and wondered what it would be like to hand the supervision of the Beach Watch over to him one day. He had many regrets, and that big fight with Jorah was one of them... he could be a little overbearing as a father, maybe too much so, and both were too proud to mend bridges.

But perhaps, for the time being, he could find a new supervisor right here instead.

* * *

 "Wait, so- she was... she was _naked_?! And... you didn't call us?!"

"Call you?!" Jon hissed, "Oh- so sorry Grenn, we were a little busy getting caught by Mormont!"

"Serves you right, you dirty perverts," Edd grinned, and Jon smacked his arm as Grenn spoke up again.

"What did he say?"

"He gave us a good talking to. Then he let us off with a warning."

"He likes you," Grenn moped, "If it was me or Edd, he'd have fired us, more than likely." 

"Oh, you don't know that. Anyway, we didn't even know Dany was going to be out there. We were looking for-"

"Let me guess... Gilly," Grenn sighed, "Yeah, I'd imagine he'll be all heart eyes once he actually shows up today." Jon pursed his lips.

"I feel bad. I wanted him to have a chance with her, y'know?"

"Maybe there's still a possibility," Pyp shrugged, then hesitated. "Where is Sam, anyway?"

A few paces away, Sam ran down the beach from the lifeguard quarters. He was late again, and after Mormont had given them a second chance, today was not the day to be tardy.

"Bugger, bugger, bugger," he muttered to himself as he hurried along. Just as he had almost made it, he heard someone calling, "Hey!" from the bushes. Turning in confusion, Sam looked around- then almost stopped breathing as he saw Gilly's head poke out from behind the leaves. She was beckoning for him to come to her, and even though he really shouldn't have, he went over.

"Gilly?" he smiled, and the girl drew back a little. 

"How d'you know my name?"

Sam's smile dropped immediately, and he fumbled for words. "Uh, uh, m-my, uh, my friends told me."

"Who're your friends?" she asked, looking around to see if they had been in tow.

"They're, um... well, you wouldn't know them."

"Then how would they know me?"

Sam shut his mouth. "Good point, I suppose..."

"I want to get to know you," she said, and Sam's eyebrows raised.

"Really? Y-you do?"

"Yes," she breathed, "I saw you last night... I saw the message you left with the sticks too." Sam once again smiled; he had had enough time to lay out the message before they were caught, at least. "So...  I'd really like to go on a... what's it called?"

"A... a date?" Sam tried hopefully.

"A _date_ with you."

Sam's eyes widened, and he let out a little noise. "But... but what about your father?" he looked around, " _Craster_. All this seems a little conspiratorial, doesn't it? Hiding in bushes when he could watching?" Gilly's lips formed a tight line.

"My dad's not the nicest person, but all my sisters have managed to get past him. _You_ , on the other hand, seem like a very nice person- ehm..."

"Samwell," Sam grinned, shaking her hand enthusiastically, then caught himself, "Well, Sam. Sam, that's my name, just Sam. Unless you want to call me Samwell, in which case, I really don't mind-"

"Oi! You!"

Both turned, and saw extremely unwelcome faces; Sam's heart sunk as Karl approached. "What the fuck is a guy like you doin' talking to a girl?" he asked, crossing his arms. Rast, of course, approached as well, snickering. Gilly looked up.

"Who are you?" She turned to Sam. "Are these your friends?"

"Ummm... well, I wouldn't say _that_..."

"Then why don't you just leave us alone?" Gilly snapped back at the two boys, "It's none of your business what Sam does."

"Oh no?" Karl grinned that smarmy smile, advancing on them, "Maybe you'd like a go with me... I'd probably be able to keep it up longer than him." Gilly backed away, and Sam stood up a little straighter, shaking.

"B-back off... o-or... or I'll-"

"What?" Rast crowed, "What're you gonna do, piggy? I bet she's your sister or something. That'll be the day when a _girl_  talks to Samwell Tarly!"

The two laughed, and Gilly narrowed her eyes at them defiantly, turning around and kissing Sam square on the mouth. Sam let out a whimper, and after a good long while, Gilly opened her eyes again, whispering against his lips, "Did I do that right? I think that's how I've seen it done." 

Sam gulped, and blinked a couple of times. "You... most certainly... did." Then he fainted, leaving Rast and Karl speechless.

* * *

 "Have you heard the news, my friend?"

Varys gazed over wearily to Petyr, who had poked his head out of his snack shop awning. "I'm afraid I haven't, though I've got the nagging feeling you're going to tell me."

"Sansa Stark has been seen with the Tyrells. It appears her infatuation with the Lannisters has _subsided_ , one might say." 

"And this is supposed to spark my interest, is it?" Varys deadpanned. 

"Perhaps not... but Jon Stark and Samwell Tarly were also caught by the supervisor of the Beach Watch watching that foreign girl, Daenerys Targaryen; and there is to be another contest between Jaime Lannister and Robb Stark- the stakes increase in their dire climb to familial victory." Varys turned to examine Petyr.

"How _do_ you obtain this information?"

"I have my sources," Petyr smiled, his lips twitching under his mustache, and Varys frowned.

"You mean you spy?"

"I observe from a distance."

The bald man sighed. "Why didn't I buy the lot beside that nice tall fellow? Why did I have to purchase the storefront beside the creepy stalker with a crush on a teenager?"

"What are you talking about? I don't have a "crush" on-"

"That _was_ you who carved that P+S=Love onto that tree right there, yes?" After a moment of silence, Petyr opened his mouth again awkwardly.

"You know how mischievous these teens can get with their... pocketknives."

"Yes, well, wake me up when Sansa Stark returns your affection," Varys muttered, and sat back down at his counter, "That way, I can have a good, long nap."

* * *

 The purr of the engine started the exciting day for Sansa, Margaery, Loras, Renly, and Oberyn as they changed out of their clothes and into their swimsuits. Thankfully, Loras had learned how to drive the family speedboat, "The Rose," when he was younger and had taught Renly since then, so the Baratheon boy held the wheel while everyone got ready for a day of tubing.

"I've never done anything like this before," Sansa told Margaery, who smiled back at her.

"I imagine you haven't done lots of things before," she giggled, and Sansa's breath caught. Her friend grabbed her hand, leading her to the back of the boat where Oberyn was tanning on the cushions, dressed in a revealing yellow dress covered in suns.

"Not joining us, Martell?" Margaery smirked, and Oberyn took a sip from his cooler.

"Not today. Today is the day I take in the sun and all the glory it has to offer, and mourn the absence of my beautiful Ellaria to enjoy it with me."

"Right, well- I'm going in," Loras scoffed, taking off his shirt, and Sansa admired the fact that both Tyrell siblings had amazing form. She began to feel creepy for watching so intently, but Loras just grinned at her as she averted her eyes. "C'mere." Sansa's eyes widened at Loras' beckoning, but she went over to the blonde. In one motion, he was kissing her- Sansa moaned a little; he was experienced, she could tell, but none of that was news. After a split second, he pulled away, and Sansa found Renly laughing.

"But... but, you're gay," she said quietly, feeling conflicted and confused.

"Yeah," Loras smiled, "And so are you- for my sister." Oberyn let out a loud laugh at that, and Sansa blushed so hard her ears burned.

"I... I-"

"Sansa, one thing you should know when you're with us?" Renly called back, "None of it matters. Sexuality... gender norms... labels... all of that's bullshit. Do what you want-"

"Do _who_ you want," Loras added with a wink.

"-And just have a good time," Renly shrugged, pulling down his sunglasses over his eyes. Margaery nodded.

"I even made out with Renly once, just to see what all my brother's fuss was about," she told Sansa.

"It was weird," Renly and Marg both said at the same time, and Margaery turned back to Sansa with a smile.

"Now... let's show you how tubing is done," she grinned, taking Loras' arm and hopping onto the large inflatable behind the boat. The redhead found herself laughing as well- she felt so included, for once in her life, like people actually, _genuinely_ cared that she was there and liked her for who she was. She didn't even _know_ who she was really, not yet, but this summer was proving to be one of significant discovery in that department.

Margaery's shrill scream woke the Stark girl from her thoughts, and she put on her own pair of aviators as she removed her beach top. She had decided to wear her turquoise bikini today, since Arya had once told her it went well with her hair. Sansa favoured bikinis over one-pieces herself, mostly to show off the pretty belly-button ring her friend Jeyne had put in for her when she was fourteen, but Margaery looked perfect like this. _Just_ like this. She had that purple swimsuit on, the low-cut one that went all the way down to reveal her defined stomach. 

"Sansa, get on!" she called, and the redhead stepped cautiously into the tube as Renly picked up speed. She was still a little nervous from the incident with Joffrey, but both Tyrell siblings had their hands held out to her. Taking them, she quickly hopped down with a squeal, and spread out on her stomach in the middle of the two of them. Renly went even faster, driving the boat into the horizon and turning to whip them around at the back. The sea sprayed on her face, and Sansa laughed, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Beside her, Margaery sputtered, spitting out some water, and the three hit a bump, sending them all bouncing along the waves with the boat.

"Please, go faster!" Sansa called excitedly, and everyone turned to look- even Oberyn peered over his sunglasses at her sudden change in character. Renly happily complied, taking them swerving and flying around all the other people in the water.

"Do a donut," Oberyn mentioned nonchalantly, twirling his finger in a circle, and Renly let out an evil cackle.

"I like the way you think."

Sharply turning the wheel, The Rose went in a fast circle, blindsiding Loras and sending a wave straight to his face. Losing his grip, the blonde yelped, and splashed back into the white capped waves. The two girls who remained on the raft gazed back to where he surfaced, curls jumping back around his face.

"Jerk!" Loras called angrily, "You know I hate donuts!" 

Sansa grinned _. Why couldn't she have found these people sooner?_  

When the sun began to set, the tube was pulled in and secured onto the back of the speedboat. The view from the boat was rather breathtaking; they could see the shore from there, the kids playing and the couples walking along the beach together. Oberyn had supplied a playlist of sexy mood music that was now playing on his phone as he took over at the wheel- how hard could it be to drive the thing, right, because it wasn't like Loras was going to do it. Loras and Renly- big surprise- had their hands all over each other again. This left the two girls, staring out at the ocean together with their arms lightly brushing with every shift in the waves.

"This day has been... amazing," Sansa grinned, for lack of a better word. Margaery reached over and took her hand.

"I'm so glad you've enjoyed yourself. You've really come out of your shell. And you know what I think? I think the real Sansa's just as naughty as the rest of us." Sansa giggled at this, and Margaery squeezed her hand with a smile. Then, as if they were straight out of a romance novel, time seemed to slow. Sansa knew what was coming, she just didn't know if she could do it... or let it happen... or... or-

"Stop it," Margaery whispered, and Sansa blinked her wide blue eyes.

"Stop what?" she breathed back, lost in her own dizzying feelings.

" _Thinking_ ," Margaery smiled, and kissed Sansa. Her lips felt better than Sansa had ever imagined over her own- it wasn't her first kiss, but it was her first kiss with a girl, and that made it one hundred times over the moon more wonderful. When the two finally pulled away, Sansa barely realized that Margaery had been cupping her cheeks, and revelled in the touch against her now-burning skin.

"I want," Sansa swallowed, cut off by her own inability to form words. Margaery just waited patiently. "I want more," she whispered hoarsely, and Margaery smirked, eyelids heavy with desire.

"Then you'll get it, sweet girl." Whistling to them, Oberyn winked, and the two girls disappeared. Taking her hand, Margaery led Sansa down into the lower level of the boat, but Sansa couldn't wait until she was all the way down. Immediately upon closing the hatch, the redhead pushed Margaery against the wall, capturing her lips again to taste more of the gorgeous girl in front of her.

"You're quite good at this," Margaery mumbled, trailing her hands down Sansa's back, "Care to take me over to the cot?" Sansa looked over to the tiny cabin bed, and eyed Margaery hungrily before leading her to it. Once they were on it though, the brunette regained control- Sansa may have been anxious to get things moving, but she was far from experienced in this department.

"Slow down, Sans," Margaery's soothing voice overtook the redhead's senses, "You'll enjoy it better that way." Sansa moaned, rolling her hips up wantonly as Margaery straddled her slender body. She could barely believe any of this was happening- she had only met Margaery last month, and now she was stupidly head over heels. She couldn't help it- staring up at the girl on top of her, arching her back with her sandy brown hair tumbling down her naked back, Sansa wanted nothing more than to _ravage_ her until she was covered with love marks, a feeling she was surprised by, given her own nature. She supposed she had never had the chance to discover what she was like in bed, so perhaps her desires were somewhat plausible.

 Rocking down and massaging Sansa's sweet spot with her pelvis through their suits, Margaery reached down to gently cup her breasts, giving attention to each with a slow, easy massage. Sansa was lost, eyes fluttering closed every time Margaery kissed her neck, down to her chest, and the brunette reached between them to rub her _just_ right before-

"Ah- Marg!" Sansa cried, gasping loudly as she came, and a few seconds later, Margaery softly sighed in bliss as she, too, climaxed from the simple friction alone. When the two had caught their breath, Sansa was blushing again, as if her cheeks were in a perpetual state of pink. "I'm... I'm sorry... it was over too fast, I-"

"You were excited, that's all," Margaery hushed, pressing a gentle kiss to Sansa's heaving sternum, "Besides, we're not like men. We don't disappoint anyone if we come early." Sansa giggled, and Margaery joined in, the two collapsing back on top of the thin sheets together.


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm not sure how you're going to try and explain this one to me, but it shall be quite the show watching you try," Tywin said, lacing his fingers together. Jaime cleared his throat, opening his mouth to speak, but his father raised a hand. "Oh, forgive me- I left the kettle on, so you have another five minutes to concoct a good lie for me." Getting up and leaving temporarily, Jaime looked over to Cersei, who seemed just as tense.

"What do I say?" he mouthed, and Cersei shook her head.

"Let me do the talking."

When Tywin finally came back, he took a seat and hummed. "Alright. What have you got for me?"

"Dad-" Cersei began.

"I believe this was Jaime's blunder," Tywin said simply, "I'd like to hear him explain it for himself." Listening to his dad's words, Jaime felt a pang of anger, which only grew. Why should he have to explain himself _at all?_

"I tried so hard to best him. You have no fucking idea how hard I tried," Jaime growled, and even Cersei's eyes widened a little, "But you have no right to be angry with me. You have no right to even be _disappointed_ in me, because we've secured a sure way to make sure Robb Stark never wins again."

"Is that so?" Tywin asked mildly, shifting in his seat, "And how do you presume to do that?"

Jaime looked over to Cersei, and smiled.

* * *

It was the second last week of summer vacation. The weather was unfortunately darkening, hindering many people's culminating plans to enjoy the weather , but Ned and Catelyn were determined to have their family campfire.

"I've heard that you've got a competition tomorrow?" Ned mentioned to Robb, who nodded slowly.

"Aye. Going to surf against Jaime Lannister, and put an end to this once and for all before summer's done."

"I'd love to see an end to this silly family feud," Catelyn muttered. "Just be safe about it."

"Well, if it means hurting Tywin Lannister's pride, I say good. Do your best, son," Ned smiled, gripping Robb's shoulder, and eldest Stark smiled back with a nod.

Somewhere on the other side of the beach, Jon sighed. "I've got to get going if I want to make it to this family campfire of mine."

"Right... I hope you have a good time," Sam nodded, and he would have looked sad at Jon's departure if he hadn't just secured a date with Gilly the day before.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Sam- see you, guys," he said, waving over to Grenn, Pyp and Edd. They were about to wave back when they suddenly noticed a disturbance out in the water.

"Is that... a shark?" Pyp murmured in fear, and Edd rolled his eyes.

"No, you idiot- it's a bloody person!"

"This is our chance!" Grenn shouted, heaving a battle cry, and the five of them suddenly rushed all at once to the poor lad's rescue. He was rather far out, splashing around for help as, apparently, he had been caught on something, or as Pyp was still fretting, _by_ something. Once they reached the water, they all took the initiative to implement what they had learned on the very first day. Mustering up what little heroics they each possessed, the five swam out to reach him, and once they had him secure as they had also learned, swam back to shore. After a few seconds, the older blonde man gasped for air, and Jon performed the resuscitation.

"Is this... Westeros Beach?" he sputtered, and Jon frowned.

"Um... yeah. Yeah it is." The man breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Oh, amazing. My wife, she's... she's hard to miss, it would be a great help if you could point me in her direction- I've been sailing for days, and I'm rather lucky the boat held out as long as it... did..."

"Here, catch your breath," Edd said, patting his shoulder, "What's your name, mate?" The man swallowed.

"Jorah. Jorah Mormont- and I'm looking for my wife, Daenerys Targaryen."

Pyp squeaked, and Grenn coughed awkwardly.

"Right. Um, you can definitely find her here..." Sam chuckled, watching the others writhe about.

"Wife?" Grenn was gasping, and Jorah frowned.

"Yes... she came here on holiday alone after a bit of a row we had, but I wanted to show her that I would cross the ocean for her."

"So... you did," Jon nodded, pursing his lips, "Dramatic fellow, aren't you?"

"I love my wife enough to cross _seven_ oceans for her," Jorah smiled, and the guys helped him up to stand.

"Apparently."

"I think she's gone back to her cabin for the night- you must know where that is," Sam supplied, and Jorah craned his neck to look around at all the glowing lights of the cabins dotting the shoreline.

"I'll find my way around. I owe you a debt for saving my life- what can I do to repay you?"

Jon thought for a moment, then a perfect idea struck him. "Mormont, you said your name was?"

"Aye."

"There's someone who wants to see you more than the world- a visit to him would be nice."

* * *

When Jon finally made it to the campfire, the sun had set again. Sansa had also been a little late, claiming that she had been out with her friends again despite her mother's protests that she had spent the entire last night with them as well on their boat or something. Arya was rambunctious as usual, telling tall tales of hooded ghosts or something, Robb was already pigging out on marshmallows, and Bran was laughing with his brother about one thing or another.

"You know this is the first time we've had the family altogether since the first day of summer?" Catelyn mentioned contentedly, shaking her head as Jon sat down.

"And how enjoyable that's been," Robb joked, and Ned raised an eyebrow over at him, soon directing his gaze to Arya, who was eating even more than Robb was now.

"Want to go easy on those marshmallows, you?" 

"No," Arya grinned back, stuffing four in her mouth and chanting, "Chubby bunny, chubby bunny, chubby bunny!" with Bran. Catelyn wanted to stop them from playing the gross game, but she had to admit, it was an amusing sight. Jon sat by the edge of the fire pit, a little further back, thinking hard about the castaway that had sailed up on shore. They had finally saved someone, and become true men of the Beach Watch... but at what cost? _My friends' wet dreams,_ he thought with a smirk.

That got him thinking of Ygritte, and how much he missed touching her, kissing her, just plain _being_ with her. He missed her wit and her charm, and he couldn't wait to tell her all about his experience as a lifeguard that summer- maybe she could even come along next year, though her overprotective brother Tormund would probably never let her that far away from home with him.

"Always brooding in the corner, I see," Ned grinned, awakening him from his thoughts, "Nothing's changed over the course of the warmer months." Jon chuckled.

"And nothing ever will."

"Mm. How's the Watch going?"

"It's enjoyable," Jon answered truthfully, "I've met some great people... and some, eh... _interesting_ individuals, along the way."

"Good to hear it," Ned smiled, slapping Jon on the back, "I knew being a lifeguard would agree with you." Jon nodded.

"We actually saved someone's life today."

"Yeah?! I'm proud of you," Ned said, and Catelyn came over with a hug after overhearing.

"You've proved me wrong," she smiled, and Jon laughed with his mother. Once their parents had gone back to tending to the fire, Sansa sat down next to him.

"Well, you're glowing," Jon muttered, "Changed your hair?"

"I'm wearing it up, I s'pose..." she shrugged, tugging on a lock that had fallen out of her loose bun. Jon watched her closely, eyes narrowed.

"Alright, give me a name." 

"What?" Sansa muttered back, crossing her arms.

"I know that look, and you're not as innocent as you seem to think you are, give me a name."

Sansa scoffed, and looking around, she mumbled, "Margaery Tyrell."

"A Tyrell?!" Jon almost spat, and Sansa pinched him hard in the arm so as not to blow her secret. "Ow, _shit_ Sans, that's gonna bruise."

"So is my neck after the hottest girl in Westeros sucked on it, and you don't see me crying like a little bitch," she snapped, and Jon's eyebrows shot up.

"Well, you've changed." 

"Sex does that to you," Sansa smirked, narrowly avoiding another blush, and Jon raised his coke to hers.

"Aye. To virginities lost at last." 

" _Obliterated_ ," Sansa grinned, and they clinked glasses. They sat in amiable silence until Jon spoke up again.

"Just... do me a favor and buy me a jet plane, will you? Once you marry Margaery and inherit all that Tyrell cash?"

"Shut up," Sansa shoved him, giggling. 

Over where Arya was sitting, she was currently winning chubby bunny with six marshmallows stuffed into her mouth. Bran had a close five, and Robb was tailing with only three. 

"I can't bloody do it," Robb sputtered, the gooey treats drooling from his lips, and Arya laughed so hard at him that she, too, spat her mouthful, so far some hit Sansa in the cheek. The older sister glared, and Arya set off snorting at that too. This left Bran the winner as he stuffed one more into his mouth, and chewed triumphantly while mumbling incoherently, "Chubby bunny, chubby bunny, chubby bunny!"

"Chew that properly and swallow it carefully, before you choke," Catelyn muttered, wiping the goo off of Arya's chin and staring over at Bran, who nodded soberly.

"Where'd you learn to stuff that much food in your mouth?!" Robb asked incredulously, putting his feet up on the log beside him.

"I've eaten a lot of ice cream over the course of this summer," he shrugged, and Arya jumped up.

"S'mores time!"

"Ooh, white chocolate," Jon nodded, "My favourite."

"You deserve it, after a job well done today," Cat smiled, and everyone agreed simultaneously as Ned tossed a big chunk of chocolate over to him to stick on a s'more.

 _Maybe hard work really did pay off,_  Jon thought, gazing around at his family.

* * *

Friday. The day everyone had been looking forward to- or dreading, depending on who you asked. Tyrion had found himself in the latter category the morning of the big surf compie.

"What a contest it will be," he mused, pouring the drinks for some group of girls, "I don't know if I should attend."

"You should, it's going to be great!" a girl with dark hair said, and another one chimed in.

"Yeah, and Robb Stark is _so_ hot, too."

"What are you talking about?! _Jaime's_ the real hottie!"

 "He's screwing his sister, Myranda, you can't think _that's_ hot."

"That was a vicious lie spread around by Robb, and you know it!"

Tyrion watched them go at it, smirking. Maybe he _would_ attend... if not for the bang it would end his lovely summer with before having to return home to Joffrey the twatface, then to take part in the hilarious gossip around the whole thing.

 Out on the beach, Jaime and Robb were on their respective sides of the shore, preparing for their big moments that would ultimately decide who would be crown King of the Beach. The weather had been fairly decent, even going so far as to let the sun peek out a bit, making the water shimmer as it never had before.

"I don't like this," Mormont said, looking out at the water from the lifeguard tower, "You boys had better be paying close attention today- there's a storm coming, one that nobody but us expects, and nobody's going under on my watch."

"Or mine," Jon nodded. 

"Or mine," the four others joined in, grinning, and Mormont smiled back at them, pride swelling. 

"Good. Stations then, off you go."

Cersei sipped from a glass of sangria she had unapologetically brought out to enjoy Robb Stark's demise, sitting on a lawn chair beside her father and brother, who had been kind enough to join them after all, watching the waves. It was a good day for the whole thing; a very good day. She just had to count on the weather forecast being right for their brilliant plan to come to fruition.

 "You'll be great," Talisa assured Robb, giving him a deep kiss and a quick hug. Robb squeezed her back, and before she went to take a seat on their towel, she held up a finger, darting away and returning with a bottle of sun cream. Plopping a blob on his nose, she grinned, and nodded once. "Your nose always burns first, and I don't fancy dating Rudolph... at least, not this time of year." Robb laughed out loud, and Theon approached, patting him on the shoulder.

"You can do it, man," he said, reaching up and rubbing the sun cream in for him.

"Thanks, baby," Robb teased, smacking Theon's ass as he turned away, and the Greyjoy boy whipped around, sending back a sassy kiss before snorting and taking his seat next to Tali.

 "Do you really think we can pull this off?" Jaime asked Cersei, smoothing back his shaggy blonde mane. Cersei nodded.

"Of course. Look, there are already dark clouds gathering, but nobody's about to call this off. We're the only ones who are smart enough to see the storm. It's all quite perfect." Jaime had a sinking feeling in his gut about what he was about to do- no, not do- _let happen_. He could hear Tyrion's damned voice in the back of his mind, and just what he would have to say about all of this.

_"How could you even think of plotting something like this? Has Cersei really warped you that much?!"_

But Tywin's stern, frankly terrifying glare focused him on what would happen if Robb Stark won again.

Within five minutes, the competition began, and Robb was up for his first wave. Now, if he could only remember what to do...

Hoards of spectators had gathered to watch, only reminding Robb how high the stakes were. This is how he- and the Starks- would be remembered; until next summer, that is.

 _"Just lie on your stomach,"_ he heard Theon's voice repeat in his mind, not unlike Obi Wan's advice to Luke on Hoth, _"Let the wave take you, and stand up slowly from a crouching position until you reach the shore. Be one with the water, don't fight against it."_  Sucking in a breath, Robb took this advice as he felt the wave swell behind him, now beneath him. Wobbling a little, he began to stand up, and jerked his arms out for balance as the wave carried him. Jaime squinted at the Stark. He looked as if he could fall any minute, and if the expression on his face was anything to go by, he would be a goner after round two.

His apparent fear hindered none of his performance, though, not yet. Robb successfully made it back to shore, and picked up his surfboard triumphantly, smiling widely.

"Contest's not over yet, Stark," Jaime whispered as he passed, and Robb turned. Jaime waded into the waves, noticing overhead that the dark storm clouds were beginning to swell. As he paddled out, he also noticed a few of the people who had gathered pointing up at the sky, some even pointing out to the ocean where bigger waves were beginning to swell. Cersei sipped her sangria, a sly smile growing as she pulled her sunhat lower.

It was almost time.

Jaime looked behind him to see the wave coming, and transitioned to a crouch smoothly. Back on shore, Theon nudged his friend. "Wrong. What he's doing is wrong, mate- you never look back, you always let the wave come to you." But Jaime seemed to be faring alright with his method- he rode the wave as well as anyone would expect, better than Robb did of course, and made it back with flying colours.

"My turn," Robb growled, and he didn't even care about the increase in the size of those waves... he would show Jaime Lannister that he could win this one too.

Paddling out, he looked out at the open sea. The waves were growing dangerously in size, but it didn't faze him- Robb was always stupidly brave, just like his father. Then he felt the water swelling beneath him.

Jaime watched Robb paddle even further, realizing after a moment that he wasn't paddling anymore; he was being swept into the undertow of the approaching wave. The huge wave made everyone gasp- and Jaime knew what he had to do the minute he saw Robb's brown eyes widen.

_Fuck this. Fuck expectations. Fuck Cersei. Fuck dad._

Pushing past people, the Lannister ran into the water, paddling furiously to make it on time. He could hear people shouting behind him, even catching Cersei's shout of, "What the _hell_ are you doing, Jaime?!" but he didn't care. Above all else, he was a good person- and some dumb family rivalry, no matter how important it may seem to everyone, was not worth Robb's life.

"Hold on!" Jaime called, barely able to shout through the rain that had picked up. Robb was trying to steady his board, looking up when he heard Jaime's voice. Jaime let out a breath of relief as he saw Robb nod, and paddled even harder to reach him. "Undo the leash!"

"What?!"

"The leash, on your leg! Tear it off!" Robb looked down, blanking for a moment, before he stood up shakily, ripping the Velcro of the leash. Jaime looked over at the fast approaching wave, and decided to stand on his board.

"Take my hand!"

"Who are you, Elvis?"

"Take my hand, Stark- Christ, do you want to die?!" Robb shut his mouth, and grabbed Jaime's outstretched hand just in time for the wave to crash down on them and send their boards flying. Underwater, Jaime was pushed by the undertow down into the coral, and his hand caught on one. He looked up, panic shooting through him as blood seeped from where it was caught. It felt as if the rock was digging into his flesh, and he couldn't get free. Just as he thought there was no hope, Robb pulled his other arm with him. 

Everyone on shore collectively held their breaths, Cersei and Tywin included, and let it out when the two emerged to the surface, gasping for air. Robb's surfboard washed up on shore broken in half, and Mormont ran over, giving them both blankets as they walked out of the water.

"God, what was I thinking?" he was muttering, "Keeping the beach open, and to allow this sort of tom-foolery when that kind of weather warning was in effect?!"

Cersei stared as she and Jaime locked eyes. It was to be expected, she huffed. Her brother, beneath the smug smile and spoiled lifestyle, was governed by his moral compass, which weakened him in Cersei's eyes. Then again, she never really was one for morals.

Robb's friends crowded around, making sure both boys were okay, and everyone hurried for cover- the storm was getting worse.

* * *

"I suppose I owe you more than just a thank you," Robb said, tugging the blanket tighter around his shoulders, "I owe you my life."

"You don't owe me anything," Jaime sighed, staring out at the churning surf from the grimy windows of the lifeguard station. Both were surprised by that humble response, but also far too tired to give it a second thought.

"Your hand..."

Jaime looked down at the mess the coral had made of his right hand, which was now broken. It had torn the skin all the way through to the bone, and it had been a hell of a lot of blood to deal with... still-- "At least I didn't lose it." A moment of silence passed.

"We're such assholes," Robb suddenly laughed, and Jaime looked over curiously. "We spent the entire summer trying to prove which one of us was better? All because... what? You wanted the whole town to know your family shits gold, and I wanted revenge for your crazy little brother Joffrey's attempt on Sansa's life?"

"I suppose we could've just... talked," Jaime added, glancing over through side-eyes, and Robb's laugh grew even louder, a sound so infectious Jaime caught himself laughing too.

 _"Ferris Beuller, you're my hero_ ," Robb murmured in a nasally voice, and that set the two off even harder.


	8. Chapter 8

The storm continued into the weekend, marking the end of a truly memorable summer for all. Most families were packing it up early, and by Monday, goodbyes were exchanged.

"I'm going to miss you, Hodor," Bran mumbled sadly, scooping up his full journal from the counter, "I've never had a friend as true as you." Scribbling something out on a corner of paper, he passed it to the owner of the ice cream shop. "Be sure to give this to Meera and Jojen the next time they come around."

"Hodor?"

"It's a special coupon, that entitles them to a signed copy of my autobiography. And my number."

Hodor grinned. "Hodor!" Then he beckoned Bran over to the door separating him from the customers, and Bran wheeled over, opening it. Hodor held up a finger, and rummaged around until he came up with an entire tub of ice cream, a special brand of his own. Bran's eyes lit up.

"Thanks, Hodor!" he beamed, and Hodor patted his heart. Bran's eyes welled up. "Well... I guess this is goodbye, then." Just as he was turning away, he heard something that he never thought he'd hear from his friend's mouth:

"Hold the door!"

Turning around again, Bran held the door open with his chair as Hodor reached forward, picking Bran up and squeezing him in a hug. Bran laughed in disbelief, hugging back, and Hodor put him down again, closing the door behind him and locking up. Turning around, the big man took the handles of Bran's wheelchair, and began to push him home based on the boy's direction.

* * *

 "When will I ever see you again?" Sansa asked quietly, fighting back tears.

"Don't worry," Margaery smiled, "Summer's only another year away... it'll fly by!" 

"How am I going to go that long without seeing you?" Sansa moaned, "You're my _girlfriend_."

"Well... I know for a fact my dad wouldn't mind if I invited you to our spring break estate in Old Tower- you'd absolutely love it there." Sansa couldn't control her excitement.

"I can't wait," she grinned, and Margaery pulled her into a hug.

"Text and Skype every day?" the brunette asked, and Sansa nodded, wiping tears away.

"Every day."

"Wonderful. I can add you to the group chat too, so you can lose your mind," Margaery told her, looking back to their rowdy group of friends, "You can finally meet Ellaria, god help us all."

Sansa giggled, and Margaery looked down, taking Sansa's hands. After a moment, the two leaned in for a kiss, the ceremonial last kiss of the summer. When they finally parted, Sansa waved and Margaery did the same, spring break the only thing present in their minds.

* * *

 "I suppose you're rather _put off_ by the result of that contest," Tyrion said, sauntering into his sister's expansive room.

"At least Jaime's alive," Cersei breathed into her wineglass, voice barely above a whisper. Tyrion raised an eyebrow.

"Feeling nice today, are we?"

"Just tired," Cersei sighed, setting down her glass and taking a seat on the edge of her bed, "Very... very tired." She shrugged. "I miss Joff. I miss home. I'm glad summer's over." Tyrion walked over, sitting beside her cautiously.

"Home means responsibilities."

"You've got responsibilities here- what about that bar you work at?"

"Shae's taking over for me. It'll be a shame to leave her, I've grown quite attached, but as you know, attachment isn't my style- more responsibilities to worry about."

"Oh, don't pretend like you shy away from those," Cersei said wearily, "You've always thrived under pressure- pressure from dad, pressure from school, things that are considered socially acceptable in life and this screwed up family, _everything_." She sucked in a breath, feeling along a hickey Jaime had left below her ear. "How do you stay sane? What's your secret?" 

Tyrion smiled a little, gazing up at his big sister. "I don't," he muttered, "That's my secret."

Cersei looked over, and Tyrion handed her her glass back- not before finishing it off himself.

* * *

 The Mormont cabin had been transformed, lights and lanterns decorating the quaint, rustic cottage and music playing faintly through the night as the lifeguards celebrated a summer well done.

"D'yknow what?" Edd frowned, leaning against the railing of the porch.

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

"I'm actually gonna miss you lot," he muttered, taking a swig of beer, and everyone grunted their agreement.

"Where's Sam?" Pyp asked.

"Where do you think?" Grenn scoffed.

"He could be doing one of two things," Jon smiled, "Burying his nose in a book or four, or he could be with Gilly, learning how to..." The four listened closely to the bushes behind the cabin, and heard a:

_"Sam!"_

_"Oh my..."_

"And that just about answers that for you," Grenn laughed, the four grinning along and drinking to Sam's initiation into manhood. Just then, Mormont came up behind them.

"Well, boys- summer's finally over. What's next for you?"

"Third year of college," Edd replied.

"Working on the ranch," Grenn answered.

"Last year of high school," Pyp told him.

"Seeing my girlfriend again," Jon smiled, and Mormont nodded.

"She must be a real pistol herself, if she can rein you in."

"That she is, sir," Jon chuckled, and Jeor turned a little.

"Jon... come here." The two walked over to a private corner, and Mormont raised a stern eyebrow. "I ought to give you a firm talking to, for having spied on my apparent daughter-in-law."

Jon winced. "Right, about that, I'm so sor-"

"I never got to properly thank you."

"Um... for what, sir?"

Mormont smiled slightly. "Well, for one, doing your duty so diligently. I know I singled you out quite a lot, but that's because I was rooting for you."

"Rooting for me... to do what?" Jon asked, quite cluelessly.

"To take over supervision of the Watch next summer." Jon choked on his drink as Mormont walked back to the others, "And I expect to see you lads back as well."

"Yes sir, without a doubt."

"Of course, sir."

"Definitely sir, you'll see us!"

Jon swallowed, processing his new offer. "S-sir... d'you mean it?!"

"Ah, of course, Jon. I've been meaning to retire- and now I can. Another reason to offer my thanks... saving my new off-season supervisor before he got himself drowned." Stepping out from behind his dad, Jorah nodded to Jon with a smile. Jon was ecstatic.

"Glad you could finally make peace after all these years."

"Well, we still have a long way to go," Jorah said, crossing his arms, "But we've got lots of time to get there." He turned to his dad. "Daenerys loves the idea of living out here for a few months- she's got family roots here, and she says the heat gets to her sometimes in Mereen."

"Understandable. Nearly gave me an aneurism trying to figure out how my son could end up with such a lady. I have to admit, I had no idea the famed beauty _Daenerys Targaryen_ was your wife," Mormont mentioned.

Jorah looked down with a small smile. "That's because you and I haven't spoken in ten years." Suddenly, a little girl, about nine years old, came in- and judging by the expression on her face, she was out for blood.

"What is this noisy rubbish you call music?! I'm trying to sleep up here!"

Jeor smiled, leading her over. "Jon, Grenn, Edd, Pyp? My niece, Lyanna."

"Who are you and why are you in our cabin?"

"We're lifeguards, love," Jon chuckled, "And we're having an end-of-summer party." Lyanna clenched her jaw menacingly, shooting him a withering death glare.

"Good for you, _love_. Now if you please, I haven't slept properly since a week and a half ago with all of this bothersome thunder business, so enough with the small talk- I'm going to bed."

"Do you need tucking in, sweetheart?" Mormont called after her, and the little girl held up an immediately silencing hand.

"I can tuck myself in, _thanks_."

The lifeguards all laughed, and Mormont shook her head. "I'd imagine she'd give you a run for your money for command, Jon." Jon huffed a laugh.

"Aye, I'd imagine she would. One day, she'll probably fight me for it."

Everyone spent the rest of the night exchanging numbers and social media handles- even Karl provided Jon with a number.

"In case you ever need someone to put you in your place, Lord Supervisor," he had muttered, not without a smirk. "Heard you had a girlfriend back home... give her my regards." Jon smiled, nodding.

"I will."

"Yeah, mine too-!" 

"Shut your _fucking_ hole, Rast!"  

* * *

 The next day, two young people stood in front of each other on the beach, finally parting after two months and what felt like a lifetime hanging around each other.

"I hate goodbyes." Arya's eyes were watery. 

"Me too."

"So let's not say goodbye... okay?"

"Okay, milady."

Arya blinked twice, staring up at Gendry, then threw herself into his arms. "Goodbye!" she sobbed, and Gendry put her arms around her, crouching down to her level a little. With a wistful smile, he murmured, "Shhh. Don't want anyone to think you're a prissy little bitchass, do you?" Biting his lip in the hope that would get a rise out of her, he put up his arms to fend off her barrage of punches.

"Shut up, _Gendry_ , I'm not a little bitchass!"

"I know- I'd better not disagree, though. You're the one with the toothpick." Arya's face suddenly lost all color, and she let out a tiny gasp.

"Oh god... Gendry!"

"What?" the Baratheon frowned.

"My knife... I left it in the Eyrie!"

* * *

 Chasing after her, Gendry tried to catch her shoulder. "Arya! Arya stop- look around! Look at this weather! You expect to cross that flimsy bridge when there's... bloody _lightning_ out here?! You see the lightning, don't you?"

"Yes!"

"All this, for a knife."

"Yes!! It's the only thing I care about in this world, Jon gave it to me, I'm _not_ leaving without it."

"Arya _please_ , think about this- we can come back tomorrow, yeah? Coming back tomorrow sounds great!"

"My family's leaving tomorrow. I can't leave Needle, Gendry, I can't!"

"Arya, if you go out there and something happens to you, I..." his breath hitched as he turned away in frustration. "I care about you too much, okay? I don't know what I'd do." Arya stared at her friend for a second, before taking off again with Gendry close on her heels. "Arya, _leave_ the knife!! ARYA!"

Arya ran uphill to the top of the incline until she reached the familiar sign they had seen nearly every day that read "The Bloody Gate", behind it the bridge swaying precariously in the harsh wind. She knew it would be stupid to cross it, but she was desperate- nobody understood how much the object meant to her. Besides, she had made it across far too many times to get squeamish now- she knew how to climb the rope.

Forcing herself to ignore the churning water beneath her, Arya jumped up to grab the rope, and began to pull herself across. Behind her, she could still hear Gendry calling her, pleading with her; that didn't stop her from pursuing her destination. When she reached the spot she thought she had dropped it, she let out a breath of relief- it was still there.

"A girl left something important to her behind." Arya turned, and nodded at Jaqen. "But... a girl comes here under great danger." She sighed heavily.

"I had to, Jaqen. I couldn't leave without this knife... my brother gave it to me!"

"Is a girl's brother still alive?" Arya frowned, nodding slowly. "Then is this knife really worth her life when you have him?"

Arya's eyes widened a little, eyebrows knit, and she began to run backward, turning so that she knew where she was going. Running through the fog and slippery moss, she made it back to the bridge, to find Gendry wildly hopping around on the other side, still attempting to dissuade her.  

"Stay there- I'm not letting you cross in this. I'll get someone for you!" he was calling.

"What?!" Arya shouted over the roar of the rushing water.

"I said _\- I'll get someone for you_!" he shouted, but a clap of thunder drowned him out again. Arya, not receiving the message, began to reach up for the tattered rope, but just as she was about to grab on, her foot got caught on a root, causing her to scramble for a hold. Gendry put his hands out, even though he couldn't do anything for her if he tried from where he was, but Arya seemed to have regained her balance. Never letting go of the rope, she hoisted herself out, and began to climb carefully over the angrily rushing current- it was hard to remember the peaceful, flowing state it had been in that sunny they had first come here. Gendry chewed on his lip, arms outstretched to grab her once she came close enough, and Arya climbed faster. She was eager to get across, since while she didn't have a particular fear of water, it was less than enjoyable to get sucked into _that_ and probably drown.

God, why did she do this? Jaqen was right... she had gambled her life for something Jon had given her, when she hadn't even lost Jon himself. She managed to force a smile, a few seconds away from the other side.

"I told you I'd be-"

Suddenly, the rope snapped, sending Arya freefalling down into the water with a splash, a shrill scream of "Gendry!" the last word out of her mouth.

"Fuck me upside down," Gendry breathed in horror, and looked down to see what had become of Arya in the water. He couldn't see through the whitecaps, but he could tell which way the current was going. _Dammit_ , why did the hike from this stupid bloody island have to take so _damn_ long?! Never having run so fast, Gendry went as quickly as he could. Not long after, he made it to the row of snack shops, the first thing to see when coming back from the trail.

"Mr... Mr. Baelish, sir!" Gendry panted, "There's... Arya... we were... she was... knife... wa- water..."

"Calm down, my boy," Petyr hushed, coming out from behind the counter and sitting him down on a nearby rock, "Catch your breath."

"There's... no... time to... Eyrie! Arya!" Petyr's mouth formed a thin line.

"What's this about the Eyrie?"

Varys, overhearing, also joined the two as they went as fast as they could to the lifeguard tower, where there were still a few people left. Telling them the whole story, Mormont had a very worried Jon go run for his mother and father, and everyone who surrounded them on the beach was taking notice of the uproar. Once Catelyn was out, she ran over to Petyr, whose expression was grim.

"Did you have any idea at all your daughter was going out there, Cat?!" he asked, grabbing her arm.

"I told her not to go back there," she sobbed back, and Petyr sighed.

"That damn island... I should have had the rope severed too!"

"Why didn't you, dammit?!" Cat screamed, and Petyr looked down, running a hand through his hair.

"I don't know, _I don't know_!"

Ned joined them, holding Cat close as efforts were made to find Arya in the ocean that spat out with the water coming from the island. Unfortunately, she was a small girl, and it was very hard to see much of anything in that weather.

"No! Please, please- you have to find my baby!" Catelyn shouted, and Sansa and Robb joined her, the same concern and desperation written on their face. "Somebody please, save Arya!!"

Gendry was shaking his head in disbelief, Petyr was watching the water like a hawk, Varys was attempting to offer words of consolation to Catelyn, so nobody noticed a certain beach patron slipping away...

"Who's that in the water?!" someone shouted.

"Is that...?" Jorah asked, becoming frantic, "It's... it's Dany!"

"Daenerys?" Jon and Sam both said at the same time, looking at each other, and ran out after her. They all watched as the blonde swam through the waves, and, seemingly following something, she fought against the current the way a professional swimmer would. Luckily, some of the waves had begun to subside, the rain stopping almost completely.

"Somebody go out after her now!" Jeor shouted, "What, did she fall in too?"

"No," Jorah mumbled to his father, "She's going to save the Stark girl."

Out in the water, Dany went under for a minute, and came up carrying something with her... no, someone. Catelyn gasped, covering her mouth, and everyone rushed over when she made it back to shore carrying Arya.

"Oh my god," Ned muttered, and they went over to check her. After a few words and a good shaking, the girl woke up, spitting up seawater, and everyone cheered. Dany fell back a little, out of breath, but she was smiling- and so was Arya.

"She saved my life," she whispered hoarsely, coughing.

"I couldn't just let you die out there," Dany said, and everyone suddenly went silent.

"Um... you can speak English?" Jon asked, and Daenerys brushed the wet hair out of her eyes.

"Of course, you imbeciles. But you have to admit, what I did was rather smart when I had six lifeguards hitting on my married ass every day of the summer." Jon began to laugh hysterically, as did all of the members of the Watch, a joke that the rest of those present didn't quite understand. Robb walked over, and grabbed Dany's hand, raising it.

"This woman saved my sister... if that's not a hero, I don't know what is. QUEEN OF THE BEACH!"

"QUEEN OF THE BEACH!" everyone echoed. In the crowd, Jaime nodded with a smile, and Robb nodded back. Arya got up to hug her family.

"We're going to have to put a damn bell on you from now on," Ned scolded, but he couldn't stay mad at his kids for long. Once desperate hugs were out of the way, people parted to reveal Gendry, rubbing his arm.

"I'm so sorry," he croaked, and Arya walked forward.

"Why the hell are _you_ sorry?" she snapped, and Gendry looked up, surprised.

"W-well... I didn't stop you-"

"You couldn't stop me. I'm _un_ stoppable!" 

"Wha... well..." Gendry sputtered, and Arya laughed weakly, running forward and embracing her friend.

"Thank you, Gendry. I'm never going to forget you," she whispered, and planted a kiss on his cheek, "You're the bestest friend I've ever had." The boy smiled a little, leaning down and placing one on her forehead in return.

"Likewise... little shit."


	9. Epilogue

"Well," Theon said to Bran, who happened to be the closest person to him, "What a dramatic end to this summer. God, I don't want it to end."

"Nobody does," Bran replied, watching everyone hug and part ways for the last time that year, "But just think... when we return next year, we'll all be that much happier to see each other."

"And maybe by that time, Theon Monster-Cock will have a girlfriend!" Robb joked, approaching them, and Talisa smacked him lightly.

"Robb, your little brother's right there!"

"Ah, he can take it. I've read worse words in his bloody autobiography."

"You found it?" Bran blushed, and Robb nodded once.

"A bestseller in the works, my little man."

Sansa also joined in the group, seemingly content with texting someone.

"Who's that?" the Greyjoy muttered.

"A friend."

"Oh yeah?"

"A girlfriend."

"Oh, a- wait, _what_?!" Theon gawked, "Little Miss Priss can get a girlfriend, but I can't?!" The Starks all grinned as they said goodbye to him. Walking back to their cabin from where they were on the beach was a bit of a trek, but they made it, going in to sleep off the day's turbulent events, for the next morning, Ned had everyone up bright and early as the sunshine.

"Alright gang- time to get going, I'm afraid!" he called, heaving the bags into the car.

"I don't want to leave," Arya mumbled dejectedly, carrying her backpack.

"Even after almost drowning yesterday?" Jon asked her, lifting her up on his shoulder and piling her into the station wagon. He had on his honorary "Westeros Beach Watch: Lifeguard" t-shirt on, wearing it proudly.

" _Especially_ not after that!" the adventurous girl exclaimed, and Jon ruffled her hair up. Ned got in the front seat, ensuring everyone was there- Bran, Jon, Arya, Robb, Sansa still on her phone texting away, and Catelyn beside him. As the car started up, everyone took one last look at the Stark family summer home for the season.

 "Let's go home," Ned sighed, rolling down the windows. "Summer's over... and winter is coming."

Just as they got on the road, an expensive red convertible screeched in front of them, cutting them off.

"Damn Lannisters," Ned muttered, then a huge yellow truck accidentally rammed into the convertible, sending them spinning off the road. 

"Fuck... sorry!" Robert Baratheon yelled apathetically as Tywin (and Stannis) cursed him out. From behind the Starks on the road, the Tyrells parked their car, Mace getting out and running over to Tywin.

_"Would you look at this kerfuffle! Why, Tywin, I must tell you, if I were in your shoes, I'd be just..."_

Catelyn Stark turned up the radio to drown out Mace's prattling, smiling. There really was no escaping Westeros Beach. 


End file.
